Shared Parking Lot Considered for Library, High School

With the and on adjoining properties, finding parking for one or the other can be, at times, challenging.

At least according to those who use the lots and residents and business owners near the high school who have complained of students parking on their properties.

Montville Township Public Library Board of Trustees Member Robert Lefkowitz mentioned the concerns of those residents Monday before suggesting the library board and consider working together to construct a multi-purpose parking lot for use by both buildings' drivers.

"[The high school has] a need for more parking, maybe it's time that everybody says, 'Well, let's look at it together,'" he said.

Mayor Tim Braden said at Monday's library board meeting that he had a conversation with a solar panel company which was familiar with the library parking lot. As the  on the parking lot to help reduce electricity costs, Braden said it may be beneficial to have further conversations with the company.

"If they can help us out, give us some cost estimates...I think we'd be ahead," he said.

However, Braden said the solar company did not think panels would work with the current layout of the parking lot, with rows running north to south, as much as they would work with rows running east to west.

The library board has also been discussing paving the parking lot and Lefkowitz said constructing a new parking lot that would accomodate the solar project and more spaces for the use of both buildings may be a good idea.

Braden said he liked the concept of the multi-purpose lot and that it should be explored further.

What do you think? Is a multi-purpose parking lot needed for the high school and library? Participate in our poll below and leave your thoughts in the comments.