Opinion: Make Sensible Parking Decisions
As a business owner in Eureka, and a long-time resident of Humboldt County with roots going back generations, I have followed with great interest the city’s housing plans utilizing downtown parking lots. I support urban infill in providing affordable housing and reducing greenhouse gases through public transportation. But I am concerned about the impact the reduced parking has on the safety of my employees as well as all downtown employees and customers. If parking within a reasonable distance from our offices is eliminated, employees will be put at greater risk when walking to and from their cars, especially during the early morning and late afternoon hours.
Many employees commute from other local communities, so parking nearby is essential. We have already faced incidents of employees being accosted on the street and you only need to look at the news to see how frequently pedestrians are hit by moving vehicles in Eureka.
At the present time, there just isn’t convenient public transportation to respond to the needs of employees and customers commuting into downtown. While planning for the eventuality of a robust public transportation system is essential, the reality is that today, and into the near future, we must plan for safe parking for downtown employees and customers.
We have chosen to have our business in the Old Town area of Eureka to be part of, and support, the vibrant, local business community. Our nearly 200 employees enjoy the benefits of being able to walk to the shops and businesses of Old Town and eat in the restaurants daily. The economy of Eureka depends on the businesses of downtown to be successful. Making it more difficult, and less safe, for workers and visitors is going in the wrong direction.
We must achieve a balance among urban infill, environmental impacts, economic viability, and public safety when making location decisions for future infill projects.