Reinstate Free Parking at Bay Street Emeryville

To Dave Schnayer
General Manager
5616 Bay Street, Emeryville 94608

We, the residents of Emeryville and its surrounding communities, thoroughly enjoy the shopping, dining, and entertainment available at Bay Street Emeryville. However, the recent change in policy regarding parking has us concerned because:

1) It negatively impacts the flow of traffic on Shellmound Street, Bay Street, and the safety of the pedestrians who have to cross lines of traffic to get from one sidewalk to another. This is due to the long lines of cars waiting to enter or exit the parking garage, now having to interact with the parking attendant. As the Holidays approach, it is important to encourage shoppers to shop at Bay Street, not to discourage them from shopping here because the parking situation is difficult, time-consuming, and frustrating. This is in addition to the check-out lines in the stores!

2) While the parking rates are reasonable, the fact that you're charging parking fees so that the customers can patronize the merchants is counterintuitive. If we want to pay for parking, we can shop in San Francisco where the store, dining, and entertainment options are vastly improved. Alternatively, we can also shop at the many department stores and shops in Walnut Creek where the parking garage is free.

3) Business at Bay Street has been doing well since it has opened. Why discourage people from shopping at Bay Street by creating long parking lines, traffic jams along Shellmound, and dangerous pedestrian walking situations by introducing a $1 parking fee? Surely Bay Street is not trying using this business strategy to raise money!

4) Merchants have expressed their support of reinstating the free parking policy that was in place as they know it directly affects the willingness of people to shop at Bay Street.

That said, we, The Undersigned, request that you and the management at Bay Street Emeryville reconsider your decision to charge a parking fee for shopping at Bay Street Emeryville.