City Council Minutes 1998 09 01 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Louisville for over fifty years. She expressed support for the project and hoped that the "few closed minds in this room find a way to reach a win/Mn situation for the health and longevity of Louisville." Susi Bailey, 726 Hemlock, Louisville, Colorado, stated that ten years ago, Ed & Cheri Ruskus were told they were "crazy" to invest in the property at 728 Main Street. She said that the Ruskus' "believed in this town and now it's time for this town to believe in them to pay them back for the years and years of work they gave..without merit, without anything." She felt the issue was not about parking or height, but about people. Nancy Love, 841 Front Street, Louisville, Colorado, expressed her support for the applicant. She felt that it was time for Council to pass the PUD and give the Ruskus' the answer they need. She commended the applicant for agreeing to participate in a parking solution. Ronda Grassi, 916 Main Street, Louisville, Colorado, expressed her support for the applicant. She felt the building will enhance the appearance on Main Street. She stated the parking problem should be solved as a group, not by one business owner. She urged Council to allow the Ruskus' to invest in Louisville and expand their building as they wish. Arlin Lehman, 908 Main Street, Louisville, Colorado, stated that when he came before Council a few years ago to expand his building, parking was an issue. However, it was not perceived as an emergency situation but one that needed to be dealt with for long-term growth of the town. A constraint was placed on his PUD that he would agree to participate in a parking plan, if such were developed prior to building permit issuance. In a parking survey he conducted to determine if the occupancy of his building contributed to the parking situation, he was always able to find numerous available public parking spaces. He urged Council to pass this project without the parking constraints suggested. Sally Janover, 820 Main Street, #108, Louisville, Colorado, stated that, as a business owner, she feels the reason there aren't more retailers downtown is due to the lack of street activity, especially the 700 block of Main Street. She stated that tonight's discussion appears to be about corporate style office mix buildings, which do not increase street activity nor downtown viability. Davidson called for Council comments and questions. Davidson asked to address some of the comments made tonight. One comment he addressed was that the City Council was at fault for not providing any parking. He responded that parking for any downtown market of any city is not provided for by that city, but rather by the businesses. In Louisville, the City has been providing some parking, however, the business community has not stepped forward and provided their own. Another comment indicated that there is no parking problem because we can count a certain number of free spaces at all times. Davidson replied that if the City enforced the two-hour parking limit, there would be a parking problem in a hurry. It is lack of enforcement that frees up the spaces. He suggested that the business people of downtown take an objective look at what Louisville does versus what every other city does. He did not believe one would 12