WHY is our board planning to spend over $1,000,000, starting this September, on a PLAZA? The official Downtown Visioning Survey with 560 respondents is summarized as follows by AI;
Residents prioritize practical fixes over transformative “visioning” projects like large plazas that risk reducing parking or worsening traffic. Avoid large new plazas or major reconfigurations. These projects align with survey consensus: practical, resident-serving infrastructure that boosts safety, convenience, and charm without risking traffic gridlock, parking loss, or “another empty plaza.”
Parking — Frequently cited as a challenge that deters visits/browsing, especially evenings/weekends or during events. Comments note loss of spots to outdoor dining and the need to retain front-of-store and convenient parking without reductions.
WHY, then, did our board just approve a new, more dangerous version of a PLAZA that they plan to close for dining 'season'?
Please WRITE a short email to the board NOW and ask them to please cancel the plaza and reprioritize the upgrades to our downtown, based on what residents said in the Official $85,000 Survey and in the Downtown Visioning project. We were at the workshops. Residents stated that they do NOT want a plaza over our safe, proven and critical slip-lane and we don't want storefront parking to be taken away. Now we have the final piece and it aligns with excactly that as well; No Plaza and storefront parking staying put.
Write NOW:
VillageBoard@ClarendonHills.us