Needham Selectmen Consider Lincoln Street Lot Plans

"Buddy parking" in Needham could soon be a thing of the past. 

Tuesday night, the Board of Selectmen held a hearing on plans for an expanded Lincoln Street parking lot. The town plans to use four recently-acquired parcels of land to expand parking for area businesses, and for the Police Station and Fire Department.

By the numbers, the current layout of the parking lot contains a total of 189 spaces. Four are designated for handicapped placards, 16 for permits and 67 for "buddy" spaces. The remaining 107 are designated for two-hour parking.

The new parking plan would increase that number to 227 spaces. While that increase is only about 20 percent, getting rid of the buddy spaces will actually add 60 percent more parking for customers and clients visiting the area. 

The plans shown by Town Manager Kate Fitzpatrick widen the area currently occupied by buddy spaces, and change those spaces into two-hour parking--like the rest of the Lincoln Street lot. There will be a row of permit parking, but the bulk of that will be down the block.

Three of the town's parcels of lands, under the proposal, will be transformed into a permit parking lot which opens onto Lincoln Street. The plans also include a fenced-in parking lot attached to the rear of the Police Station.

This expanded parking for public safety comes ahead of a possible future feasibility study looking at expanding the police and fire stations into a larger public safety building. These plans, however are, "really planning down the road" officials say. 

Checking the lot twice a day for eight days, Fitzpatrick said they found only about 32 percent of the buddy spaces are being used by drivers with buddy parking tags. This prompted the decision to do away with the buddy system.

Said Fitzpatrick, "there are a few permit holders who use it faithfully, and are very happy with it, but there are not many of them."

Replacing the buddy system would be more permit parking. The town will also reexamine the current price of permit parking, which currently costs $75 per year.

To build the new parking lots, the town plans to use four recently-acquired parcels of land on Lincoln Street, three directly behind the Police Station (51 and 59 Lincoln, and 89 School), and one next to the Lincoln Street Lot (37 and 38 Lincoln). 

43 Lincoln Street sits on the parcel between these two areas, and will separate the two parking areas proposed. Selectman Dan Matthews did say the town is interested in acquring that piece of land as well, although it remains in private hands.

Some residents stood to speak about the plans. While many applauded the Selectmen for the plan, they expressed concerns that the parking would be suffiicient for the demands of a growing downtown Needham.

"Someone will always want more parking. Someone will always want more this or that," Matthews commented, "but there are limits to what we can do."

Selectman John Bulian added, "This is a puzzle, and we are in the process of putting all the pieces together to see how it will all work out."

Residents also expressed concerns about Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham using some of the permitted parking spaces for staff. The Selectmen said they anticipate the hospital will handle its own parking on-site. 

This new parking lot will make use of a land purchase which was approved at Special Town Meeting last May. Officials believe that an extra parking lot could alleviate some of the town center's parking woes.

Tuesday night's hearing was just the first part of the process. Officials plan to submit these plans to the town Planning Board. Another public hearing on the parking lot is expected in July. 

In the meantime, the Board is still open to feedback on the proposal. Mail comments to the Board of Selectmen, c/o Needham Town Hall, 1471 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA or submit them by by e-mail to selectmen@needhamma.gov.