On July 25, I received an email from Marie Shaver who included a copy of a letter from Robert Arthur (general contractor/Co-op Member) to the Board of Directors for the Co-op (dates the same day) with an alternate proposal for the parking lot. The text of that letter follows:
July 25, 2015

RE: The below Proposal is 35+ SPACES with NO new retaining walls.!

To the Board of Directions, and Ms. Richneour, Ms. Morin, Ms. Kinsman, Ms. Ross, Ms Westgate, Mr. Dimmick, Mr. Flores, Mr, Harrison, and Mr. Ashby;

1. After re-reviewing your Parking Lot redesign proposal (also on the front of April Co-op News), and walking the alley-parking today, I noticed you will be losing SEVENTEEN EXISTING PARKING SPACES on the alley-way, that are currently used by both employees and customers.

2. With the removal of the old Annex bldg, there will be TEN NEW PARKING SPACES.

3. With the proposed retaining walls (two of them) and new upper-deck parking, there will be SIXTEEN PARKING SPACES IN ONE ROW, AND SIXTEEN SPACES IN ANOTHER ROW (to total 32), but given that the SEVENTEEN SPACES will be removed from the above alley-parking, this means you ONLY GAIN FIFTEEN PARKING SPACES on the upper-deck.

The huge expense of the retaining walls and new upper-deck parking, therefore only yields fifteen additional parking spaces, PLUS the loss of all the trees (including the Yew, Birches, Firs, Maples, and Pines) PLUS it will be a dead-end gridlock and two near-impossible 90-degree turns (on the up-ramp exit).

4. If the upper-deck parking were NOT built, and the retaining walls were NOT built, then there is also NO need for an upper-ramp. The lower-lot could still be a one-way going to Chestnut, and this would yield two additional parking spaces. Add these 2 spaces, to the 10 parking spaces where the Annex was located, and this yields TWELVE NEW parking spaces, without the retaining walls/ upper-deck parking.

5. Please note there that there will also be the added 6+ disabled parking added,! and possibly, space for electric cars. ! ! THE QUESTION IS: does the 20,000 membership want to support/ spend ?,???,???.00 for 15 additional new parking spaces, that destroys the beautiful trees, and creates dead-end gridlock. The proposal here is to move foward with the lower-level parking and disabled parking spaces (12 lower level + 6+handicap spaces + keep the upper alley spaces of 17). This TOTAL is 35+ SPACES with NO new retaining walls.

We are asking for disclosure to the 20,000 membership, of this proposal that yields 35+ spaces, as opposed to the current Plan being submitted to the Planning Committee. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Robert Arthur (general contractor/Co-op Member).

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