Parklet Concept Not Dead Yet

But its obituary is likely in the offing

The concept of expanding local businesses into parking spaces to create “parklets” along several streets in Sturgeon Bay didn’t exactly die, but it also didn’t gain much life support from the Sturgeon Bay Parking and Traffic Committee.

That three-member committee reviewed the Sturgeon Bay Pilot Parklet Program, took community input, then sent it to another committee, Community Protection and Services. 

“They [Parking and Traffic] ran into several 3rd Avenue businesses that spoke against it, the loss of parking being the critical thing,” said Marty Olejniczak, Sturgeon Bay Community Development director.

Additionally, both the police and fire departments had concerns about safety. 

“That was the nail in the coffin that this wouldn’t happen easily,” Olejniczak said.

The Community Protection and Services Committee is scheduled to look at the program June 4 at 4 pm, but Sturgeon Bay District 7 Alder Kirsten Reeths – who chairs Parking and Traffic and also serves on Community Protection and Services – didn’t anticipate the concept would gain legs.

“It will be talked about, but I don’t see anything happening this year with parklets,” she said.

The program would have allowed business owners along portions of 3rd and Madison avenues, and Louisiana, Kentucky, Maple and Oak streets, the opportunity to convert their on-street parking spaces into retail or dining use June 15 – Oct. 15. Or, they could set up retail or dining on the sidewalk and use the parking space for pedestrian traffic instead. Each business would be allowed one expanded space, called a parklet, and corner lots would be allowed two. 

The concept is not a new one – several communities in Wisconsin and around the country have implemented the concept even before the global pandemic – but it “gained some extra urgency for this summer because of COVID-19 social distancing,” Olejniczak said.

That was the problem for Reeths, who saw it as a “rushed thing” that didn’t explore what businesses wanted, or the parking issue. 

“We’re kind of spoiled,” Reeths said. “We like to just drive up front. If we wanted to go to Milwaukee, we’d have to pay and walk.” 

A convenience for some, street parking is a necessity for the elderly.

“Maybe it’s something as simple as designated spots for the elderly,” she said. “The biggest thing is working together to get a plan that will work for everyone.”

City staff members reviewed a number of codes and design standards for parklets from other communities when developing the pilot program, and they spoke with city staff in Stevens Point, which had adopted the idea last year. 

“They’ve had no takers,” Olejniczak said. “There’s expense [to construct the required barriers, and] some maintenance. It’s a business decision.”

Sturgeon Bay District 4 Alder Spencer Gustafson originally touted the idea as a “great opportunity for Sturgeon Bay businesses” on his Facebook page. But he’s also on the Parking and Traffic Committee and voted with the other two alders to send it “back to the drawing board.”

“It is very obvious that the elimination of parking spots and losing road traffic could affect businesses/consumers,” Gustafson said when updating his Facebook followers after the committee meeting.

Streets don’t need to be closed to through traffic where parklets exist, but a second component presented to Parking and Traffic would have been closing 3rd Avenue from Michigan to Jefferson streets on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to encourage diners, retail shoppers and pedestrians to explore the area. The committee did not support or advance that idea.