No wonder we are a nation of fat bastards. Even the most classically industrious among us turn into mopey complainers when there is nowhere to park our engorged, gas-sucking cars. ***image2***
A letter was recently forwarded to me from one of the vendors at the Santa Fe Farmers Market. It alleges that Mayor David Coss and City Manager Galen Buller conspired to prevent a committee recommendation to provide free parking at the Railyard during the Farmers Market's weekend operations when the Market's new building opens in July. It's not important who drafted the letter-it is among nearly a dozen considered complaints that have come my way about the parking situation at the Railyard. Assuming that behind every letter there are several discontented souls lurking in agreement, this constitutes a groundswell (though it falls short of a popular uprising) against the current plan. It's a citizens' mobilization calling out for mercy and free access for all.
And it could not be more wrongheaded, short-sighted and self-serving.
The parking situation at the Railyard is this:
In addition to the 400-slot, underground, paid-parking garage, all of the surface-street and lot parking on the city-owned property will be metered. Vendors and Farmers Market representatives are not the only disgruntled souls. Many owners of businesses located on the Railyard are upset they can't provide courtesy parking to their clients and employees.
Yet, for the last few years, it hasn't even been necessary to visit the Farmers Market at its open-air location in the future Railyard Park and Plaza to understand the problem. Just driving past on Paseo de Peralta or Cerrillos Road was sufficient to become entangled in the gruesome parking disaster. SITE Santa Fe was not amused and it was a strangely common sight to see vegan peaceniks flipping each other off after avoiding minor fender benders.
Metered parking will bring order. Sure, there will still be hot-headed housewives and hayseeds frustrated at full lots or cramming Hummers into compact-only spaces, but it will be a dramatic improvement over a crash derby in a dirt lot.
In fact, the city is providing limited paid parking spots to promote, as Laura Banish, public information officer for the city says, "multi-modal transportation." In other words, to encourage people to: car pool, use public transportation, or ride scooters or bicycles or walk.
It's difficult to understand why the mostly forward-thinking and creative businesspeople on the Railyard would complain about a public policy geared toward green transport, reduced carbon and a healthier populace. Why the Farmers Market would resist such a policy is deeply unknowable and existentially absurd.
Complaints about Railyard parking are also typically Santa Fe in the sense that people are moaning now about a situation of their own making. Everyone on the Railyard who signed a lease, including Farmers Market personnel, knew metered parking would be a fact of life. It's only now that they're ensconced and beginning to consider reality that these businesses are unhappy with the dotted line upon which they signed.
Personally, I'm all in favor of the city generating a little revenue off Railyard meters, but that may not happen. The cost of maintenance and operation of Railyard parking is expected to be approximately $435,000, and it wouldn't cost much less even without the meters. Furthermore, the city intends to operate free shuttles for use by everyone throughout the downtown area, including regular stops at the Railyard. These will be an expansion over the free shuttles from outer parking areas the city already operates. Expected annual cost of the new shuttle system? More than $1 million. Figure in the $30 million bond for parks and trails, and honing in on the Farmers Market via foot or pedal should soon be easier than ever.
So was there a conspiracy to prevent free parking at the Market? No. The Parking Advisory Committee suggested it be considered. Parking Division Director Bill Hon, one of the most level-headed people working in city government, asked the Public Works Committee to send the recommendation back for further consideration on how to reduce the impact of parking fees on Market customers, while still being fair to the rest of the Railyard tenants. The most intriguing idea so far the city is considering would provide free bus service to the Railyard on weekends. That would be a new direction for Santa Fe: Rather than bending to the will of a few vocal whiners, good behavior would be incentivized.
Ultimately, however, people, businesses and even the Farmers Market are going to have to cope. Banish points out that no one expects to go downtown and park for free at the Plaza-why should the Railyard be different?
The Market in particular has benefited from tremendous popular and financial support from residents, the city and the state. The new building, targeted for a July 1 grand opening, will be a keystone of the Railyard and a true jewel for Santa Fe. The Market's board of directors must realize at this point that while its endeavor is much beloved, its reputation for being difficult to work with is legendary. Maybe it's time to quit complaining about what the Market doesn't have and start being appreciative for what it does-something all of us should consider more often.
