By Adam Swift
The City Council approved a request that will allow the Beachmont VFW on Bennington Street to lease out 22 of its parking spaces during the day.
The council did limit the parking in those spaces from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. after concerns were raised about making sure there was enough parking at the VFW for evening events.
Representatives for the VFW previously stated that the spaces will be leased out mainly for construction workers and vehicles associated with the residential development project across the street on Bennington Street for the next several years. They also stated that the request is an attempt for the VFW to bring in additional income.
“I am not against this, I am just concerned that when they have an event,” said Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky prior to the request being amended. “If they are going to do 24-hour parking there, it’s going to be a problem.”
Councillor-at-Large and zoning subcommittee chair Anthony Zambuto said he did not believe there was the intent to have 24-hour parking in the lot, and agreed to conditions to limit the parking hours.
Novoselsky said he also had concerns about the parking in the lot after the estimated three-year length of the Bennington street construction project.
“I don’t see the three years as being relevant,” said Zambuto.
Novoselsky said he was fine with there not being a restriction on how long the VFW would allow the parking spaces to be leased, as long as there was a restriction on the hours.
Zambuto said that he did not expect that there would be any vehicles parked in the spaces past 5 p.m. He did agree to the 6 a.m. start time for parking because of the nature of the construction business.
Other conditions that were included in the approval include that the 22 parking spaces to be leased be clearly marked, the spaces not encroach on the travel aisles, and that the layout plan be approved by the city’s site plan review committee and the fire department.
