File photo/April 22, 2024
State St. and Washington Ave. Businesses are distributing a petition to residents to restore parking and accessibility. The group says it will forward the petition to City Council and any pertinent City employees involved in the project.
The group reached out to a council member about the issue but was referred to City Manager Rachael Tabelski who provided an update to the group today via email.
“As soon as I have an update on the city’s accommodation plans, I will share. We are working on different options to help the business owners on Washington and State and pushing our architects to relook at site/staging layout. Unfortunately, the city does not have staff to drive UMMC bus, however we are getting pricing from RTS now which might be better because they are fully accessible option.”
Tabelski says she will update the business owners once plans have been finalized.
Link to Petition below:
“Restore Downtown Parking in Batavia for Accessibility and Business Prosperity”
According to the petition, “the issue stems from the City Council’s decision not to restore parking in the downtown lot at Alva and Bank Street where the new Police Station is being built. Businesses were promised one row of parking along the north end of this lot, adjacent to their establishments – a promise that remains unfulfilled.
The lack of adequate handicap parking for businesses on State Street and Washington Ave is causing suffering not only for patients but also for clients, employees, and businesses themselves. The current situation threatens both public safety and local commerce.
We urge the City Council of Batavia to take immediate action by restoring promised parking spaces during construction of our much-needed Police Station. By doing so, they can improve accessibility for those who need it most while supporting local businesses that contribute significantly to our city’s economy.”
Previously:
The businesses were promised one row of parking, now there is no parking but one or two spaces on Washington Avenue. There is no handicapped parking. Businesses will fail without parking. Honor your commitments.