Owner of Highland Medical Center Wants More Parking

With the proposed project possibly taking away overflow parking, the owner of Highland Medical Center brought back a rezoning request.

Dr. Daniel Cavolo appeared at a City Council committee meeting to pursue a rezoning issue to add 32 parking spaces at the site, which is across Brainard Road from the former Catalano's grocery.

Employees have been using the Catalano's lot for parking.

""We need to expand parking for patients and our employees," said Cavolo, who owns the building. The lot has 56 parking spaces, which is short of the estimated 75 to 80 spaces needed to meet city codes.

"Twenty-six years ago, when it was built, it was approved with less spaces than required," Cavolo said.

He added that although the property to be used for parking is zoned residential, it is not a buildible lot.

A lot split for the site was granted recently by the Planning and Zoning Commission. The next step would be for council to place a rezoning issue on the ballot – the deadline for that is mid-August, according to Council President Cathy Murphy.

Murphy said council will further review the request in two weeks, after getting more information about drainage and variables involved if the site was zoned for office parking or office building use.

Cavolo first pursued the rezoning last June, but it was dropped in August when it became apparent that it would not be approved in time to appear on the November ballot.