Following a required public hearing, where one person spoke, the Hastings City Council Monday approved a resolution setting a special assessment district to pay for part of the cost of maintenance of city parking lots in the downtown.
Tom Cramer said the parking situation in the city is, “terrible," adding he wasn’t happy to pay a $1,000 assessment for something that is “a negative.” He said his wife parked on the street for dining and window shopping and got a warning, a courtesy the city extends for a first parking ticket.
“Warnings are not very welcoming to visitors,” he said, noting that he hears, “over and over and over that parking is very difficult.” He asked for long term planning “to come up with a better alternative.”
Cramer will meet with City Manager Jeff Mansfield and other staff and discuss possible solutions.
Another public hearing was set for May 22 to take comments on the final assessment roll. Mansfield said the total for maintenance and repair of parking spaces in the special assessment district this year totals $42,502. The DDA will again pay the difference between the $26,540 assessments in 2008 and assessments this year, an amount of $15,962, he said.
Fund raising at Thornapple Plaza events was approved by a unanimous vote. In a letter to the council, Thornapple Arts Council Executive Director Megan Lavell said a volunteer would circulate during the events with a can to accept donations during 2017 program season, including the Jazz Festival and Hastings Live programs. With no admission charged for events, the donations, DDA contributions and other sponsors would allow the programs to break even, Lavell said.
Also, the city will enter an agreement with Co-Dee Stamping to purchase parcels B and C in city-owned property zoned industrial. The proposal fits the city’s criteria for industrial expansion and job creation. Co-Dee plans a 15,000 square foot expansion and an additional six to 10 employees at its existing plant at 1657 Star School Road, to accommodate expected future growth. They own and are in parcel A, and will expand into adjacent parcel’s B and C.
