Bike lanes on W. Spain are wrong way to go

Pamala Garant | Guest opinion

The proposed bike lanes on West Spain, less than 100 yards away from an existing bike path, would eliminate all street parking on the north curb between Second St. W. and Highway 12. This is a bad idea.

I was surprised the City Council would even consider eliminating almost 50 percent of the parking.

To date, over 200 people have signed a petition opposing the elimination of parking. One hundred percent of the business on West Spain Street and about 96 percent of the residents contacted are opposed.

We contend that the city’s parking survey was insufficient to reflect the hourly, daily and seasonal fluctuation in parking needs. The study only included three days at 3 p.m. and three days at 7 p.m. in April of 2008, and one day, at 8 p.m., in August 2009. No weekend or holidays were taken into account.

But even that small survey sample shows that West Spain will be using 72 percent of all available parking spaces if the bike path is built — almost double the impact of the other streets in the proposed bike path plan.

If north curb parking is eliminated, residents would have to demand the south side of the street be reserved for “residents only”. Eliminating all guests and all tourists from parking would be detrimental to business, and would place heavier traffic and parking demand on adjacent streets.

St. Francis Solano church owns no off street parking for church parishioners or school parents, who currently park on W. Spain. Westamerica Bank and Sonoma Market and Sonoma Valley Center employees park on West Spain. Congregation Shir Shalom, the First Congregational church, Adobe pre-school, the thrift store and Burlingame Hall, all have regular and also special events requiring parking on W. Spain.

Virtually every parking space is taken for July 4th, Cinco de Mayo, Hanukah, Easter, Sonoma Jazz Festival, The Sonoma Film Festival and Tuesday night Farmers Market.

Many residential units on the street are currently un-occupied, but will probably be occupied in the future, bringing cars with them. New units will increase the burden even further.

For many decades the city has allowed homes to convert to multi-family and granny units to be built with no, or too little on-site parking. Condominiums and apartments have been built with too little guest parking.

If those living on the north side have to park on the south side, they will cross one of the busiest streets in Sonoma. Picture a parent with young children or an elderly person trying to cross the street at night with groceries.

Fewer parking spaces will not make Sonoma “Greener.” Fewer parking spaces will increase traffic congestion, and pollution, and increase accidents. People don’t just give up and leave when they cannot find a parking space — they continue to circle or make U-turns until they find one.

There is an existing recreational path about 100 yards away from the proposed bike lanes on W. Spain. Both pedestrians and bicyclists currently share this route.

The City of Sonoma should once and for all abandon the proposed bicycle lanes on West Spain, which would hurt far more people than it would benefit.