Thursday, April 20, 2000 Older Editions

Article 79: Parking search comes back around

Planners and selectmen say its time to take Andover's parking issues to the next level, but finance committee members disagree.

Article 79 at Town Meeting would allow the town to spend $30,000 to study the best place to put a parking garage downtown, and design related plans.

Town Manager Buzz Stapczynski says the effort is a "continuation" of a study of parking needs downtown, which began 15 years ago.

"We want to take this information a step further," Stapczynski says.

The project would identify the best place to put a garage downtown, such as at the parking lot next to Olde Andover Village, in the parking lot at Park Street Village, in front of Pasta Villagio, or by the MBTA station.

Stapczynski says the town may also consider private land if it were available.