Leesburg weighs parking spaces against downtown design | LoudounTimes.

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Leesburg weighs parking spaces against downtown design

Monday, Mar. 21 by Laura Peters | 5 comments | Email this story

During a Town Council work session on March 21, Mayor Kristen Umstattd pushed for a vote
in their next Town Council Meeting on the downtown parking design issue, which would affect
parking on King Street between Loudoun and Market Streets.

The approved plan includes:

• five street trees
• four of the 12 spaces remain (two at each end of King Street) for loading, parking or both
• widened sidewalks
• mid-block crosswalks
• nine street lights
• widened pedestrian sidewalks

As reflected in comments from several citizens at past hearings, and with many on the town
council in agreement, the big concern with the proposed plans would be the decrease in
number of on-street parking spots.

“Both the business community and customers have voiced their opinion, they need the parking
spaces. If we lose these parking spaces, it’s the death of downtown,” Umstattd said.

“This is not about parking. This is about reinventing downtown and making it survive,” Council
member David Butler said in disagreement.
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As noted in the work session, the second alternative is considerably cheaper - to the tune of
$2,000.

“I’d like to move forward with a vote and keep the parking and the original bricks. The emails Stay
I’ve been receiving have mostly been saying to keep the parking on King Street, not to keep all Connected
the parking in Downtown Leesburg,” Council member Tom Dunn said. “I think it’s pretty
clear. I think the delay is just stalling us. I want to move forward.”

“I will not be voting on a particular specific design. I don’t think it’ll be possible because it’ll be
split either way. I hope to hear from petitioners and build a consensus,” Council member Katie
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Leesburg weighs parking spaces against downtown design | LoudounTimes.com 3/22/11 12:56 PM

The next Town Council Meeting is slated for Tuesday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Leesburg Town
Council Chambers.

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Tue, Mar 22 at 10:50 AM by waya:

Downtown Leesburg does not have enough businesses to keep it vital. Too
many “storefronts” are filled with lawyers, insurance companies, investments, Subscribe
bail bonds, etc. Unless you have more “stores” open to the public, that region via RSS
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will never be successful. Either make it a business district, or force the
lawyers, etc. to back streets, leaving King/Market streets to become true
“stores”. They also need to fix up the back alley between the garage and the
stores - better lighting and put in security cameras. Its creepy.
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Tue, Mar 22 at 10:25 AM by ALeesburgResident: Email List
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@T: Couldn’t agree more. People should take a look at Old Town Alexandria.
They left the two blocks of King Street between Fairfax and Union Streets
alone! Problem is that politicians spend taxpayers’ money and then when they
screw up they spend more taxpayers’ money to fix what they screwed up!

Tue, Mar 22 at 10:23 AM by i can't be the only one to think this way:

IS downtown for cars or for people? Keeping most/all of the spaces on King is The Loudoun Times-Mirror
a vote for cars. That’s not what I want for the core of downtown. This whole
project is but one of about 10 things the Town should be doing to resuscitate
the business district there. Tolling the town parking garage is not one of those, is an interactive, digital replica
as it only puts more pressure on the existing street spaces, even though they are of the printed newspaper.
metered, many don’t pay, and enforcement is spotty by nature. I’d recommend Open the e-edition now.
free garage, increase ticket for meters, as a means to raise revenue ie the
budget. Carrot and stick, you have to guide and enduce the public to park
View our other print publications available online.
where you want them too…common sense says that is in a garage, allowing teh
streetscape to return to the pedestrian.

Tue, Mar 22 at 08:25 AM by T:

Weekly Hello Loudoun Bridal Guide

This is a no-brainer. Keep the parking. Homes Guide County 2010-11 2011

Tue, Mar 22 at 06:34 AM by ALeesburgResident:

We need to stop the Town Council from destroying downtown Leesburg. They
2011 Future Health and Summer
spend way too much money money on things that we do not need. Leaders Beauty 2011 Camps 2011

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