Letter to the Editor: Egg Harbor Parking Problem Is Real

We read, with great interest, the article “Parking Woes Plague Popular Village.” We experienced the frustration of Main Street Market first hand Memorial Day Weekend.

On Friday afternoon the streets around the Market and One Barrel were jammed. The parking lot at Main Street was packed. We just assumed it was because of a holiday weekend. Once in the store we saw few shoppers and realized what was going on. Main Street Market’s parking lot was full of patrons at the distillery.

I sent an email to Village President John Heller asking why the village planners allowed a business to open with nearly not enough patron parking. (89 seats inside and 200 outside and 13 parking spots!) He was kind to reply. He admitted, in the email, that Egg Harbor’s parking ordinances are “totally inadequate and inequitable.”

So why do we care? After all we are just tourists from Madison. Tourists who visit several times per year and happily spend money at local businesses. No, we are not going to stop visiting Main Street Market or any other business in Egg Harbor. We love the peninsula and will continue to support the local businesses. It is a shame that Egg Harbor administrator Ryan Heise made a comment at a recent village board meeting when he referred the parking issues as “real or perceived.” Please, allow us to give you a tip Ryan. Spend some time in the Village or perhaps over by One Barrel and Main Street Market. You will see the problem is real.

John and Lynne Marks

Madison, Wisconsin