The Madison Parking Lot development was at the center of discussions at Tuesday night’s packed Lansdale town hall session at the parks and recreation building.

Borough manager Timi Kirchner eased concerns of residents regarding the parking garage not being used by SEPTA commuters, and assured that the developer, BPG Properties, has the best interest of the borough residents at heart.

The way to keep SEPTA commuters from parking in the garage: make it too expensive for them.

Business owner Mary Schwalje said the plans presented at a Dec. 14 parking authority meeting were aesthetically pleasing, but she has an issue with location.

“My concern is to have the parking garage that far from proposed businesses,” she said.

Schwalje said it would be far for people to walk to the businesses. She suggested staggering the garage with businesses and parking.

Councilwoman Mary Fuller, who runs the town hall session along with Lansdale Business Association president Doug DiPasquale, said the plans are preliminary concepts and BPG will hold several meetings for input from residents.

“It’s not the final plan by a longshot,” Fuller said. “It will be tweaked to what the community and borough wants.”

Kirchner said the Request for Proposal that was answered by BPG required the developer to speak to its interaction of the public. She said BPG would hold two sets of meetings for that interaction.

Fuller said there may be opportunities for BPG to attend upcoming town hall meetings as well.

“BPG recognizes this is a huge project. It’s positive for Lansdale, and it needs that kind of input,” Kirchner said.

She said the parking authority is a separate entity that owns a piece of property in Madison parking lot.

“As part of that, the parking authority asked for a mixed-use development plan with full recognition that the plan, once the parking authority enters into an agreement (to sell the land) – there is not one yet, they are in negotiations – then it does get turned over to planning commission,” Kirchner said. “The parking authority has very much recognized the role of the planning commission and borough in the transaction.”

Kirchner said the development is good for the municipality.

“When we were talking to folks about this, business owners said they want more businesses in this development,” she said.

The concept plan calls for 30,000 square feet of commercial space, in addition to townhomes and apartments.

The development plans will begin in May or June.

“That’s not shovel to the ground,” said Kirchner.

Kirchner said the whole parking situation has left people with perceptions of things.

“One of the things we found out, and we knew it, is we don’t have a system. It’s badly managed and cobbled together,” she said.

One resident asked who chose the contractor. Kirchner said the parking authority chose the developer and it was an open process.

One main issue discussed Tuesday was keeping SEPTA commuters out of the parking garage.

“Parking people say we shouldn’t be providing parking for SEPTA,” said Kirchner. “They also recommend to diverge a lot of traffic from that to Pennbrook.”

One resident said she has tried parking at Pennbrook, which has Merck on one side and Station Square shops on the other, and there’s never any spots.

“People are getting tickets. I walk from home because it’s too hard to park,” she said. “When you put up the garage, most will be people using SEPTA.”

The solution to keep SEPTA commuters from using the parking garage: make it too expensive for them, said Director of Community Development John Ernst.

“Would I pay for that?” asked Kirchner. “Yes. It’s a premier spot.”

Fuller said SEPTA people would not pay a high price for parking because they are not parking all day.

“The parking is premier so you are constantly moving for merchants downtown,” Kirchner said.

She said a parking study remains on the borough website.

One young resident said she and her husband moved to Lansdale due to the proximity to Philadelphia.

“It’s wonderful to accommodate to commuters because they give o much back to Lansdale,” she said.

“Right now, they’re not,” said Kirchner.

Kirchner said cities and boroughs should be walkable. When you drive to Philadelphia, you don’t find a space in front of the store you want to go to that day; the parking spots are out a little from the store.

“Why? There’s a perception of something going on because you have to go find a space,” she said. “When you walk from the space, you walk past shops and restaurants. ‘I didn’t know that was there!’ It’s part of the thinking in urban settings.”

She said Lansdale is a combination of urban and suburban.

“What we need to do in Lansdale is make it more pedestrian-friendly – it isn’t right now,” she said.

“Ever try to cross Wood and Main?” asked Fuller.

Kirchner added that the borough wants to get into the mindset of walking and making Lansdale a walking community.

“If you restrict parking for commuters, then where do they park? There’s a SEPTA lot (off Fifth Street and Main Street). They walk by all the businesses. There’s a psychology to all this too,” she said.

Kirchner said with the parking garage will come an upgrade to technology all over town.

“When I came here, I saw the meter and I was like, ‘Really? A dime?’ We have meters that are not working or they are confusing,” Kirchner said. “The staff in the borough is thrilled with the parking study. Now, let’s do something about it.”