LAKEPORT — The Lakeport City Council gave consensus to staff not to move forward with a proposed project that would add parking to the east side of Parallel Drive near the Mendocino College Lake Center.
City Engineer Scott Harter said Ruzicka Associates approached city staff late last year about a proposal to add parking spots to Parallel Drive, addressing concerns over parking availability for the college and the neighboring Mental Health Department building.
Councilman Bob Rumfelt called the concept “a bad idea,” saying the high-traffic flow on that stretch of Parallel Drive made him believe adding spots on the east side wouldn”t be safe for drivers or pedestrians.
The college and county department buildings have adjoining parking lots that accommodate roughly 50 cars each. Parking is currently allowed on the west side of that section of Parallel Drive, and people attending the college also park their vehicles on nearby Westside Park Road.
Harter said that he thought there would be enough road space to create parking on the east side of Parallel Drive, the side closest to Highway 29, by shifting the center line approximately four feet.
Harter told the council he thought his staff could develop a safe plan to create about 12 parallel parking spots for an estimated cost of no more than $1,500.
Councilmen Rumfelt, Roy Parmentier and Tom Engstrom said they did not want staff to pursue the project. Mayor Suzanne Lyons and Mayor Pro Tem Stacey Mattina said they would support staff pursuing the concept if a safe plan were developed.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
