peel back effect

Insley, Jr.: Is the issue density or parking?

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I am responding to a recent letter to the editor under the signature of a Jared Schablein in which he complains about the housing shortage plaguing the US and particularly Salisbury Maryland. We all agree there is a housing shortage. How could there not be when we have welcomed between 10 and 12 million immigrants in the last few years, none of whom brought housing with them. Of course they need housing and they have absorbed much of the housing, which would otherwise have been available to others, including most of those who are looking unsuccessfully to find housing for themselves today.

Mr. Schablein falsely alleges that “powerful landlords are fighting to block new housing while charging rents so high that many people can no longer afford to live here “. I and all the property owners that I know agree we need more housing and are pro-growth for downtown Salisbury.

As far as unwanted competition, I can’t see how a new two bedroom apartment in downtown Salisbury renting for approximately $2400 per month is going to be worrisome competition when I’m renting two bedroom houses for less than half that, where the occupants can park in front of their home or in the driveway rather than in a parking garage where they can’t even see their car from their apartment. Those new apartments don’t hurt me, they help me. Ahh…. youth and inexperience…

My sole concern is PARKING, PARKING, PARKING!!! The fact is that the previous two mayors and councils have sold almost all the downtown parking lots to developers whose plans for building new apartments, hotels, etc. will demand huge new needs for parking while eliminating much if not most of the formerly available parking downtown. That’s it! There is no other objection! Nobody yet, the City Council or the developers, have demonstrated where, not only the existing residents, employees, and customers of downtown businesses, restaurants, and government offices, but the new residents of all the new apartments, hotel, and preforming arts center, are going to park. Further, where will the patrons of the proposed new Salisbury University performing arts center containing a 1000 seat auditorium park? Are they going to have to park at the Civic Center and walk or take a shuttle to downtown Salisbury? Are we going to lose existing downtown residents, businesses, and their employees as well as restaurants because none of them can dependably find parking? This is the question that must be answered, and it has not been answered. If there’s adequate parking, especially for the people who are already downtown, then I’m all for it.

Additionally, the former mayor and city Council have agreed to build a new parking garage at a cost of somewhere between 10 and $15 million for the sole purpose of providing parking for the proposed 240 unit apartment project to be paid for, not by the developer but rather by all the citizens and taxpayers of Salisbury. How many Salisbury taxpayers do you think would vote for that? But that’s the obligation the previous mayor and council have given us.

To their credit, Mrs. Dashiell was the lone vote on the City Council against this increase in density and Mayor Taylor has vetoed the legislation which increases the density to 80 units per acre downtown over the sole issue of parking. It is a virtual certainly the City Council will override his veto quickly.

If you think parking downtown is tough now just wait until the rest of these parking lots are developed and their occupants, visitors, customers, and patrons are competing for a parking space. By then surely someone will be saying “I told you so “, the developers will be long gone, and the citizens of Salisbury left to deal with it.
Does this sound like a good decision to you? Me either. Why do four of the five City Council members make decisions like this? Go figure.

Richard C. Insley, Jr.
Salisbury resident
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.

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