The council voted 3-2 to sell the parking lot on Broadway next to Lillian’s to Bonacio Construction. The lot will be sold to Bonacio for $750,000 and includes several conditions, which were added before the Council voted.

Sonny Bonacio agreed to drop his request to have all fees for the project waived including permitting, inspection, building, etc. Bonacio also agreed to allow the city to continue using the parking lot for at least the next two summer seasons. The sale is expected to go through in the beginning of 2008, but Bonacio will not begin developing his mixed-use project before the fall of 2008. Because the lot would still be used as public parking during that time period, Bonacio requested a tax break on the property. He also offered to donate more than 30 of the parking spaces he leases from Price Chopper to the city.

Votes for the project included Finance Commissioner Matt McCabe, Accounts Commissioner John Franck and Public Works Commissioner Tom McTygue. Both Mayor Keehn and Public Safety Commissioner voted against the project. Keehn and Kim voiced that the vote on the sale was premature and they felt a comprehensive parking plan should be in place to replace the parking that would be lost.

“If we can’t get more parking by then, we shouldn’t be here,” said Commissioner Franck. “We need to move forward on this.”

During the meeting, McTygue suggested the city approach the Journal-Register, parent company of The Saratogian, about purchasing their building and parking lot. He noted that the company had been approached to work with the city toward a parking resolution before, but said they never were open to the idea.

McTygue also brought to the table a proposal to implement a pilot parking program that would charge $5-$8 a day to park on the upper deck of the parking garage on the corner of Phila and Putnam streets.

During the public comment period, representatives from several Phila Street businesses spoke out against the program, noting it would have a major impact on both their customers and employees.

Lauren Wickizer of Ravenous noted that while she had nothing against the idea of paid parking, the plan would have to be consistent and comprehensive. She felt it was the Putnam Street parking garage where experiments were always done. When the city implemented paid parking last summer in the parking garage, she said, she noticed a drop in her business.

“I can’t support any of this,” said Commissioner Franck. He recalled previous experiences he’d had in cities with paid parking systems. “We are making a big mistake; we would be taxing the people that could least afford it.”

 Commissioner Kim recommended an alternate paid parking plan: a sticker program that would allow all-day parking in all two-hour parking lots. Commissioner McTygue was open to the suggestion and agreed to pospone the vote until the next meeting when a revised proposal, including the permit program, will be brought to the table.