Fort Bragg: adequate parking

The Fort Bragg City Council agreed Monday night to accept some recommendations about parking that are supposed to make the city more friendly to walking and biking. And the council held off on approving a conceptual design for the renovation of Bainbridge Park until the public works committee approves a gazebo or a pavilion, where visitors can give performances or have events in the open air, but with a roof over their heads.

Ben Weber of Walker Consultants, said that parking in downtown Fort Bragg is usually available, even during special events. He recommended ordinance changes that he said would support the city’s general plan by encouraging more walking and biking in the central business district, or downtown area. At the top of his list of recommendations was eliminating the parking requirements, or in-lieu fee for developers, who must create a certain number of parking spaces for every living unit they build. He argued that too much parking encourages people to choose driving over other means of transportation.