The Municipal Services Committee met 04/22/2024. One of the items they voted on was a request from Appleton Downtown Inc to install a parklet near the northwest corner of Washington Street and Appleton Street from May 30 – October 31. This was the same location it was placed last year.
The committee voted 4-0 to approve the request.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
There was some question from the committee as to whether this location was a location that resulted in a good amount of use of the parklet. Alderperson Vered Meltzer (District 2) had received feedback that some people disliked that location, and Alderperson Nate Wolff (District 12) wondered if it might fit well on the south side of Appleton closer to the bluff where Lawrence students might utilize it more.
Jennifer Stephany, the executive director of ADI, acknowledged that outside of Saturday mornings during the Farmers Market, the parklet did not see great usage last year. City code did not allow the parklet to be placed on College Avenue, so they had to be selective in the location. They had considered a spot on Oneida Street south of College, but there was a curb cut in that location and the parklet was designed to be placed up against the curb. They also weren’t sure if that location quite met the requirements of the city’s parklet policy. They also looked at a couple spots on Lawrence Street, but didn’t go forward with them.
In the end they decided to place it back in the location it was in last year. They thought people might want to watch the library construction project and other projects in the area. Additionally, there were now some tenants living in the new Merge/Urbane 115 development who might utilize it.
Alderperson Brad Firkus (District 3) asked about the possibility of adding shade to the parklet, but Ms. Stephany said that given the high winds that occasionally blow through the downtown corridors she would not be comfortable from a safety or insurance standpoint installing an umbrella.
The committee voted 4-0 to approve the request to install a parklet over the summer on Washington Street near the corner of Washington and Appleton Streets.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1192632&GUID=BCAD8CE2-9767-4F74-92EE-4C53CD9B8C57
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