OK so I was totally p.o.'d at the Village when TMJ4 did that expose called "And YOU PAID FOR IT, Shorewood!" about the new construction all up and down Oakland Avenue. I even proudly went on official record in a meeting saying that I and other taxpayers I knew were tired of being TOLD what was going to be done and then told to "Suck It." The issue on the news was that the new streetscaping around each tree causes anyone parking a car (not an SUV or truck) there will scrape/hit their door, and the passenger may or may not be able to even get out there. Well, it's true. And the fact that the village manager was on TV looking like it hadn't occurred to him that the expense of fixing that after allll the trees along Oakland in Shorewood were "curbed" was gonna be a lot was, well, a little distracting.
But, then I went to Bayshore. Has anyone else noticed that Shorewood has been "Bayshorized?" The pavers, the corners, even those tree "curbs" here in Shorewood are pret-ty identical to our friends' in Glendale. Seems that would have been a nice retort for Mr. News Guy on Channel 4 who seemed to be a little bit out for blood. But..maybe would have been nice for the district to be told (huh? communicate?). It has helped me to think the Oakland redesign is going to be ok..because it has worked at Bayshore [a pretend village, and private venture], but I think the one key difference is that the curb-design tree planters there are about 1.5 inches further away from cars, and are spaced according to the drawn parking spaces so as not to align with one's door. Thoughts?
ADDENDUM:
I have since gone out there myself, and YES it's true, ya CAN'T open a door more than a few inches. I got private feedback with a GREAT suggestion. Restripe parking spaces to avoid the planters.
AND - who IS responsible? The village seems chopped into committees that do not intersect each other at any point. WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE VILLAGE RESPOND TO THE PROBLEM PLEASE.
