Start with an unstable economy, add construction zones throughout the downtown that have streets and sidewalks torn up and traffic patterns disrupted, then throw in enough inclement weather to make Los Gatos seem more like a small town in Washington state—it all adds up to some pretty dismal conditions facing the merchants in downtown Los Gatos.
Times are tough, and circumstances—some planned, some unforeseen—are not making things any better for business. That's why a half dozen merchants turned out last week and asked the Los Gatos Town Council to delay implementation of the proposed color-coded parking zones in the downtown area.
It makes sense. Why throw yet another obstacle in the path of the merchants and prospective shoppers when there is already too much to deal with.
Town Manager Debra Figone and Police Chief Scott Seaman agree that postponement of the parking plan makes sense, at least until the streetscape project is under control. The unseasonably poor weather conditions and problems with PG&E facilities have created delays in construction on Grays Lane.
Town officials were up front with merchants when they announced plans for the streetscape construction in the downtown. What neither the town nor the merchants could anticipate, however, was the late rainfall that would delay completion of the construction and the downturn in the economy.
All of those factors are now very real concerns facing businesses in the community. What they shouldn't have to face on top of everything else is a disruption in parking patterns.
The color-coded parking plan was scheduled for implementation this year, and one area—the Olive Zone down near the high school—is already in place. The Pecan Zone, located in the area bounded by Highway 9, University Avenue, Royce Street and N. Santa Cruz Avenue, is the next district scheduled to go into effect.
In the color-coded parking zones, drivers would be prohibited from moving their cars to another space in the same zone in the same day. Town officials hope that the plan will create a better turnover of parking spaces. Merchants worry, though, that patrons will simply leave town when their time limit is through. Since the location of the Olive Zone is a light commercial area, the Pecan Zone would be the first real test of the plan's effectiveness in a busy business district.
The time—and the economy—is not right for that test. The merchants need the support of the town right now if they are to survive in these difficult times. They need some stability that only completion of the street construction and consistency in parking habits can provide.
So back off on the color-coded parking plan for now. Give the merchants a chance to enjoy some economic success before revisiting the parking situation—save the pecans for the holiday pie that merchants might be able to enjoy after a successful holiday sales season.
