A proposal to offer valet parking in downtown Lake Orion will not go forward until Ted Schmidt deposits $500 with the Village of Lake Orion–although the Village Council would like him to do more research with downtown merchants first.
Schmidt, who listed his address in the proposal as Clarkston Road, was first before the council on July 10. He asked the village to allow him to utilize available downtown parking to offer a fee-based valet parking service, primarily during the weekend evening hours.
The council instructed him at that time to deposit $500 in an escrow account, to pay for attorney fees, so village attorney Gary Dovre could begin work on drafting a license agreement.
As of the council’s Aug. 14 meeting, Schmidt had not deposited any money, and said he hadn’t because he was not yet sure what his total expenses would be.
‘We have no idea what our annual expenses would be,? he said. ‘I need to know how to cap my expenses.?
Council President Bill Siver said the council had never had such a proposal before it before, and therefore did not yet know what expenses Schmidt could expect.
The other issue discussed on Aug. 14 was petitions that were turned into the council on July 24, from Lloyd Coe, owner of Ed’s Broadway Gifts, which expressed displeasure from other downtown business owners in the village possibly allowing Schmidt to utilize public parking for his business.
‘I think a lot of the other merchants are saying, if you can contact private lots and work with them, they’d be in favor,? said council member Douglas Dendel.
Schmidt noted that Ed’s would be closed during the hours he’d be operating the valet service.
‘We take their patrons and help them move their cars,? he said. ‘Right now, there’s no need for (valet parking), but there will be, particularly when the (Sagebrush) Cantina opens.?
Schmidt said he planned to offer the service on Friday and Saturday nights, from 8 p.m.-2 a.m.
‘I don’t want to withdraw my request for a permit…I’m hoping there’s a need for (valet parking) when the Cantina opens,? he said.
Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel said Dovre would not do any work on the agreement until Schmidt deposited $500, adding that that’s the amount developers were asked to deposit.
‘I don’t think it should be up to the taxpayers to pay for the services of the attorney to draw up an agreement for a business,? she said. ‘Any money that’s not used is returned.?
Council member John Ranville wondered if the council should have a public hearing on the proposal, in light of the petitions that were turned in by Coe.
Council President Bill Siver said Schmidt had talked to the businesses, and referenced a petition turned in by Schmidt. Van Tassel noted that some businesses had signed both Schmidt’s petition and Coe’s.
‘The petition we put together is what it says,? Coe said. ‘We didn’t mislead…it had a cover sheet. What was said was, we disagree with public parking being used for valet, and it’s as simple as that.?
Coe said he wouldn’t have an issue with the proposal if only private parking was going to be used. Schmidt said he had received positive direction about using parking at Paparazzi and NOVA, and was waiting to hear back from National City. He said AutoZone declined, because of liability issues.
Ranville suggested that the agreement include that no on-street parking could be used until after 9 p.m. Coe said he’d still prefer that it was no public parking, not just on-street.
Schmidt maintained that he would only be charging a fee to transport the patron’s vehicle, not for the parking space itself.
‘We’re not taking up any more spaces than (the patrons) would take up,? he said.
Council President Bill Siver said it was coming down to ‘semantics.?
‘You’re using taxpayers? parking spaces for personal gain, is what it boils down to,? he said.
‘With (Coe’s petitions), I feel like it’s a waste of your time,? Ranville said to Schmidt. ‘Because with (the petitions), I’d never vote for it.?
Van Tassel said unless Schmidt was willing to deposit $500 to ‘get to step two,? the proposal would not move forward.
‘There are certain expenses that anyone who goes into business expects to pay,? she said.
‘I think you need to go back to the merchants before you waste our time, and your time,? Siver told Schmidt.