Readers support regulation of valets operating on public streets

Readers last week responded to the weekly poll felt some level of regulation of valets was needed:

Q: Rules regarding valet parking vary in the St. Louis region. What are your thoughts regarding valet parking on public streets?

1. Valets are operating on public streets — they need permits and regulation to keep them under control: 59 [33.33%]
2. Valet parking on public streets should take away no more than 2-3 public parking spaces: 53 [29.9%]
3. Valet parking should not be allowed on public streets at all: 46 [25.99%]
4. They should be allowed to take all the public parking spaces they want to take if they have a permit: 7 [3.95%]
5. Unsure: 5 [2.82%]
6. Don’t care what they do: 3 [ 1.69%]
7. Other answer… 3 [1.69%]
8. The operators are just trying to earn a living and provide a need service – they shouldn’t need a permit or be regulated: 1 [0.56%]

The three other answers were:

1. They should rent spots at the meter rate from the city perhaps.
2. They should take no more than 2-3 public spaces AND they need regulation!
3. They should be allowed on public streets BUT not allowed to take away spaces

As more places open in close proximity the more the need to coordinate valet services.

– Steve Patterson

A nice surprise on the east bank of the Mississippi River

One task facing the selected teams in The City * The Arch * The  River Competition to incorporate the Illinois side of the Mississippi River into their solutions. Last month I took my wheelchair across the Eads Bridge to check out the situation.

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of pedestrians crossing the river on foot. Granted, it was a very nice afternoon.

From the bridge you can see the casino and the grain elevator on the east bank of the river.

Up close the industrial nature of the working facility is pleasing but just as you pass the view changes dramatically.

You come upon the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park.  The park contains two elements that can be seen from Missouri.  First is the overlook:

The other feature is the geyser.  Four times per day the geyser shoots water into the air, provided it is not too windy.

I suggest visiting the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park on the next nice day we have. I hope the design teams come up with a good way to get from the Eads Bridge to the park.

– Steve Patterson

St. Louis’ 19th century street pattern is a valuable asset getting destroyed little by little

I love the thousands of 19th century buildings in St. Louis.  Many have been designated as historic with placement on the National Register of Historic Places. I think I love our 19th century street pattern even more than the structures that fit into the spaces between the streets.  But little by little our fine network of public streets is being destroyed.

One of the biggest cases is Delmar in Midtown.  Delmar used to run uninterrupted from downtown through the city and out to the suburbs. At Spring St it had a slight jog and the angled street (above) helped facilitate the continuous flow of vehicles (private & mass transit) and pedestrians on Delmar.

Enter Cardinal Ritter College Prep school at 701 N. Spring.  Their facility opened in August 2003 permanently erasing Delmar between Vandeventer and Spring.

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A recent article talks about the importance of the street grid and it’s intersections:

It’s a little counterintuitive, but it turns out that having lots of intersections is really important for neighborhood walkability and transit use. (Source)

The graphic from the article is so compelling I thought you should see it:

The three images are the same scale.  More streets and intersections means more walkability and fewer cars, reduced pollution, etc.  Urban Planners in the early 20th century knew this.  Harland Bartholomew and his contemporaries sought to reduce intersections so traffic could flow faster.They wanted wide streets — but fewer of them. Rather than multiple choices of streets to take, on foot or while driving, you were given one — the newly widened roads, and later the freeway.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: Public meetings without prayer

The poll this week is about an issue that often ends up in court — the role of prayer during public meetings.  Many public bodies do not begin their meetings with a prayer, but others do. One that does is the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.

Here is their outline for each meeting:

Rule 13 Regular Order of Business
The Order of Business and Procedure shall be as follows:

1. Roll Call.

2. Suggested Prayer.

“Almighty God, source of all authority, we humbly ask guidance in our deliberations and wisdom in our conclusions. Amen.”

3. Announcement of any Special Order of the Day.

4. Introduction of Honored Guests.

5. Approval of minutes of previous meetings.

6. Report of City Officials.

7. Petitions and Communications. (Source)

Increasingly public bodies that include prayer as part of their agenda are being challenged in court:

Federal District Court Judge James A. Beaty this morning ruled that Forsyth County is violating the U.S. Constitution by allowing prayers with sectarian references before meetings of the county board of commissioners.

Beaty ordered the county to stop allowing prayers under its current policy, which had come under fire from those who said that the county was promoting Christianity because most of the prayers have made reference to Jesus.

Beaty gave the county several options in his order. He said that the county could choose to open meetings without a prayer, or could require that prayers contain no sectarian references.

Mike Johnson, the attorney representing the county, told commissioners this morning that he hopes they will appeal the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. That court traditionally also has ruled against sectarian prayer at public meetings.

Today’s ruling by Beaty confirms what a magistrate recommended in November. The lawsuit was filed in March 2007 by several county residents, supported by the American Civil Liberties Union. They asked that the commission only allow non-sectarian prayer at meetings; in those, references to God are allowed, but to specific deities such as Jesus Christ or Buddha are not.

The lawsuit prompted other counties to study their policies on invocations before public meetings. Several, such as Yadkin County, changed their policies to eliminate sectarian prayer. Others, such as the Winston-Salem City Council, have held off, saying they would wait to see the outcome of the Forsyth County case.  (Source)

One example is the Texas State Board of Education:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdhGK9aYjDY

Friday the prayer at the start of the Board of Aldermen mentioned God four times.The poll this week asks how you feel about prayer and public meetings. The poll is on the right hand side of the site.  The final results will be posted Wednesday June 30, 2010.

– Steve Patterson

Loft apartments going into midtown buildings once targeted for razing

A few years ago Saint Louis University (SLU) wanted to raze many buildings they had purchased in midtown near their main campus to construct a new arena.  After the objections of many (and a few lawsuits the arena plans were shifted to another campus adjacent location.  SLU did raze one building on Locust for a parking lot (view prior post) but others remained.  The area is emerging with restaurants, lofts, shops and clubs so the decision to put loft apartments into two structures is welcomed news.

These two buildings are being transformed into the West Locust Lofts:

“West Locust Lofts is located in Midtown Saint Louis, one block north of Saint Louis University. With 12,000 theatre seats within four blocks, 12 galleries and museums and over 1500 cultural events with 1.3 million visitors each year, this Saint Louis neighborhood is unique in the country.”

Not so sure about the unique part, many universities are in vibrant urban areas.

– Steve Patterson