Questions land development, parking plan

To the editor,

It is probably too late unless there is a ground swell of people who care and request a change. What is it about? The land at the corner of Grant Street and Broadview Road was bought by the village [in 2020] for overflow parking for the library, Masonic Hall, Fellowship Hall and Old Town Hall. The original two acres have been cut down to .6666 acre and sold for a brewery business. There currently are two roads with frontage for that property. The plans in progress are to add two 22-foot wide roads making four roads surrounding that business. For the first time in the history of the village, the parking will be public parking that is built, repaired, lighted, plowed, and with stop signs all paid by the village, costing tax payers approximately $600,000. One reason is to give the library better access. Why not have the branch Akron Summit [County] Library pay for their own entrance road? Creating a box of roads on all sides of this new business in the Commercial Historic District makes sense to whom? Not me. Patrons coming and going to this new business, where there will be alcohol sold and consumed, will be driving and walking possibly “under the influence.” We are going into this situation on purpose and spending over half a million dollars? What? Why? lt does not make sense for the village, not for the new business and not even for the library.

Patricia Healey

Hawkins Road ∞