HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-07-22 Public Comment - E. Staley - paid parking downtown, Jon Edwards-Schnee'sFrom:Ellie Staley
To:Agenda
Subject:public comment - paid parking downtown, Jon Edwards-Schnee"s
Date:Monday, February 7, 2022 3:10:31 PM
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Hello Commissioners,
Jon Edwards, owner of Schnee’s and downtown property requested I send you the email feedback
he sent me this morning. Thanks, Ellie
Jon Edwards here with Schnee's and the Story Block Building at Black and Main.
I would just like to register my strong opposition to paid parking Downtown. We have a thriving and
vibrant Historic Downtown, one of the few western downtown success stories. Please do not take
steps to ruin that. I believe the vast majority of stakeholders and Downtown shoppers would agree.
If you care about Historic Downtown, why on earth would anyone want to single out Downtown as
the only place in Bozeman or the entire Gallatin Valley where shoppers have to pay to park? Not our
friends at Walmart, Costco, REI, Target, the Cannery, the West side, 7th, 19th, in short nowhere else
in Bozeman. At Schnee's, our long-standing policy is that employees are not permitted to park in 2-
hour parking. It seems to work well. If employees taking 2-hour parking is a problem, I bet we can
work together as Downtown merchants to adopt a voluntary program like we have used at Schnee's
forever; namely, reserving 2-hour parking for customers.
Two hours of free parking is not free parking. It is a bare minimum courtesy to our shoppers.
Please do not support more draconian paid parking Downtown. At minimum, we need more study
and input from stakeholders and customers alike.
Thank you for your consideration.
Kind regards,
Jon Edwards
Ellie Staley
Executive Director
Downtown Bozeman Partnership
222 East Main Street #302 | Bozeman MT 59715
406-586-4008 | www.downtownbozeman.org
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