Downtown parking study for McHenry seeks solutions for congestion

Police staff have done three deep dives into the city’s downtown parking shortage, but none of those compare to what a professional parking study can tell them, Chief of Police John Birk told the McHenry City Council.

The Council voted 5-1 Tuesday to spend $58,500 for a downtown parking study from Chicago-based firm Kimley-Horn. Fourth Ward Alderwoman Chris Bassi was the sole dissenting vote. Mayor Wayne Jett was out sick, so 2nd Ward Alderman Andy Glab chaired the meeting; Alderman Andy Davis, 5th Ward, was also absent.

“This is completely different from what the police department did” hoping to solve some of McHenry’s parking issues, Birk said. “We need to resolve what our parking looks like before any development happens.”

“We need to resolve what our parking looks like before any development happens.”

—  McHenry Chief of Police John Birk

“Over the last 10 years, there has been a significant amount of both private and public investment in the City’s three ... downtown districts,” which has led to parking scarcity in peak hours, according to city staff’s report to council. Those districts are centered on Green Street, Riverside Drive and Main Street.

Kimley-Horn’s plan calls for a meeting with city staff to lay out initial steps, reviewing the city’s future development plans, inventorying existing parking and its use on a block-by-block basis, identifying problem areas, developing parking projections for a potential mixed-use development on Green Street, exploring alternative solutions and presenting back to the city.

The process, which includes counts during peak use times throughout a year, will take a year to complete, from beginning to final report, according to Russ Adams, acting director of public works. The program will be paid for through downtown tax increment finance district funds.

“The studies don’t just count cars,” added Doug Martin, economic development director, adding that they consider shared parking, curbside management, way-finding signs, loading zones, land uses throughout downtown and parking turnover. “It is a very well done plan.”

Before her vote against the study, Bassi suggested the city should use an online artificial intelligence product to redesign an existing leased parking lot adjacent to a former bank at 3510 W. Elm St.

Bassi – who is trying to unseat Jett in the April 1 local election – provided a document generated by the online AI program indicating the lot could be redesigned to hold 20% more vehicles. “We should try something like this before we spend $58,000 on an actual study.”

Alderman Vic Santi, 1st Ward, questioned Bassi’s suggestion. Santi’s ward includes all of those downtown areas.

“This lot, then another lot and another lot? Is that what you are proposing?” he said, while also noting the lot next to the bank is leased. If a development occurs at that bank site, public parking there could be lost.

The city’s staff was directed to seek a parking study after the City Council shot down plans by Geneva-based developer Shodeen for development on Green Street, partially based on parking concerns.

“In the future, if somebody comes forward, wants to develop that property, we [will] have the materials to give them [to show] this is what we need in our downtown” for parking, Ross Polerecky, community development director, said.

“This is a very important study to determine ... what is needed,” Polerecky said.