Watertown planters: who knew what and when?
WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - The large concrete planters that took away parking spaces in downtown Watertown caught the property owners and a couple of city council members off guard.
City Planner Mike Lumbis says the plans have been public for two years.
“We had a series of meetings where property owners, business owners - that was in July of 2021. We followed up with a public meeting,” he said.
When advocating to get the parking back, the building’s owners, Bobby Ferris and Jake Johnson, revealed through text messages the previous owner, Don Coon, wasn’t aware of the planters or the removal of the parking spots.
“Did you know the city was putting the planters in? Were you okay with losing all of the parking in front of Key? Response: no. Were you aware? Response: no,” said Johnson.
Coon confirmed that with 7 News on Friday.
Council members Lisa Ruggiero and Cliff Olney say they didn’t know parking would be lost.
On Thursday, Lumbis reminded council of a work session on October 12, 2021, where he and a consultant from Barton & Loguidice updated city council members on the project.
Olney was not on council at that time.
In that 2021 presentation, discussions of planters and lost parking were had involving Court Street.
But when it came to talk about Washington Street, it didn’t get as specific. Lumbis mainly spoke about the Governor Roswell P. Flower Memorial statue and crosswalks.
Meanwhile, just this past April as the project started, city planner Geoff Urda told 7 News a “couple parking spots would be lost on each side.”
The planters took away four parking spaces in front of Key Bank and left one handicapped parallel parking space.
City taxpayers will now pay nearly $40,000 to remove the planters and add two ADA-accessible angled parking spots.
Lumbis says that work may begin by mid-August.
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Source: WWNY
