This week the City of Champaign received two bids for the development of the public parking lot located on Green Street between 5th and 6th streets. Filling in the streetscape is part of the plan for campustown, but it would also mean the loss of parking.

Assistant City Manager Teri Legner says that parking concerns will be considered as part of the plan.

“We’ll work through those issues together, and in conjunction with the business community and the residential, the residents, in the area to figure out what we need to do not only with required parking that might be as a result of the development, but with any dislocated or relocated parking.”

The development would replace the southern portion of the lot, possibly resulting in the loss of 40 to 45 public parking spaces.

Anne Johnston is the owner of Campus Florist. She says parking is already a problem and is worried about the loss of additional spaces.

“I do not think this should be done. I don’t think they should take it away from our customers, and also from our help. I have a problem with this. I have people over here now if you don’t move your car in two hours, you get a ticket. That’s not fair. The people who work for me can’t leave their job every two hours to go move a car and find someplace else.”

The City Council will review the proposals and choose which one will be built. The City agrees that whichever proposal is chosen, the parking issue will have to be resolved.