Readers comment on downtown parking, a proposed golf facility and gun violence
Make parking free
In Gainesville, I avoid going downtown if at all possible. The last time I went, I drove round and round, looking for a space. I finally opted to try the expensive downtown garage, so my trip cost me considerably more than I had expected.
To add to my misery, I had trouble paying with my credit card to get out. Consequently, during the 10 minutes while I was figuring out the problem, the meter added the cost of another hour. Now, I hear some kind of app may be necessary on my phone to pay for parking.
I used to live in a town that, like Gainesville, had a downtown suffering from a lack of parking. The business owners there got together to build a parking garage. They made parking free!
Heading to downtown then, I knew exactly where to go to park, saving my time and gasoline. I didn’t have to plan to have enough extra cash for whatever paid parking would be. I could park long enough to have a meal and maybe do something else while I was there. That downtown revived dramatically.
So, why does all the responsibility for parking in downtown Gainesville fall on the city government? Why aren’t the business owners helping to provide it? Make it free for customers!
Joan H. Carter, Gainesville
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Poor planning
The owner of the Meadowbrook golf course has applied for a major amendment to the Meadowbrook planned development zoning district to allow the building of an 18-bay, two-story Tracer Golf facility on the first fairway, adjacent to 98th Street.
One of the biggest concerns is, what happens if the Tracer Golf business is not successful? The Meadowbrook community will be left with a two-story, open-bay structure with no alternative use.
If this facility were located, as Top Golf facilities are, in a commercial or industrial area, there would be opportunities for the building to be converted to a commercial or industrial use. This use would be a drastic change for the area and certainly not one that was anticipated by the residents or planners of a residential neighborhood.
As a retired professional planner with a master’s degree in city and regional planning, it is my professional opinion that this proposal is bad planning and has the potential to set a president for more commercial uses in areas designated as recreational and open space in Alachua County.
This proposed rezoning will be heard by the Alachua County Planning Commission on June 15 at 6 p.m. in the Alachua County Administration Building.
Richard D. Tarbox, Gainesville
Referendum needed
A recent article in The Sun indicated that 16 different mayors had written a letter to Congress to change gun laws. However, Congress is not the only legislative body that can regulate gun laws. State legislatures also have the power to regulate gun laws.
As a matter of fact, most gun laws are regulated by the states. If the 16 mayors really want to do something about gun laws, they should have asked the state Legislature to pass gun law changes or ask the Legislature to place a voter referendum in regards to gun laws on the upcoming November ballot.
If the Legislature had refused to place it on the ballot as a voter referendum, they could have worked with the citizenry to place this item on the ballot through a voter referendum.
Jack R. Carter, Gainesville
Address mental health
In case you haven’t heard, America has a problem with mass shootings. Looking at the perpetrators of these mass shootings, a common characteristic is apparent: poor mental health.
All of these shooters have been young men who were social pariahs who lacked the ability to interact with the world and society they found themselves in. In many of these cases, there was limited or failed intervention in the lives of these young adolescents.
As things stand, the mental health infrastructure for our youth is poorly equipped to identify those most at risk, let alone to provide care and therapy. The U.S. should wage a war on poor mental health by mobilizing a resources and funding to combat this epidemic.
Brett Haeffner, medical student, University of Florida
More letters on gun violence
Following recent mass shootings, The Sun has received more letters to the editor on gun violence than it has been able to publish in print. Visit https://bit.ly/sungunletters for a selection of these letters in a special online feature.
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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Letters on downtown parking, a proposed golf facility, gun violence
