Saratoga News

New signage is planned for Village valet parking

By Sarah Lombardo

Restaurant owners and city officials have agreed on a comprehensive valet parking plan for Saratoga Village. The new plan makes only minor changes to the valet sites currently on Big Basin Way, but it does create a new sign policy to promote the soon-to-be Villagewide service.

The City Council is tentatively scheduled to be presented with the plan at its meeting on Nov. 19.

The new plan calls for valet parking drop-off zones now in front of Viaggio's and the Plumed Horse to remain where they are and to maintain current operating standards. But the valet zone in front of Bella Saratoga will be moved farther down, to a spot in front of a dry cleaners on the corner of Third Street and Big Basin Way. New signage will be created stating that "Saratoga Village Valet Parking" is available. The idea, said Saratoga city administrative analyst Jennie Hwang Loft, is to make sure people entering the Village know that valet parking is available for everyone, not just to patrons of the restaurants and businesses in front of which the valet parking zones are located.

"The main issue here is we want to make sure that this is an equitable distribution and that the signage is clear," she said. "Many people already seem to know that the valet parking is for everyone, but now cohesive signage will make sure that people know this."

The idea for a Villagewide plan arose last year when Michael Petteruti, area manager for Corinthian International Parking Services, proposed the idea to the Saratoga Business Development Council. City officials wanted to look into the idea as well, hoping it might provide a better solution to each restaurant or business establishing its own valet service. A Villagewide service, then- City Manager Harry Peacock said, could make for a smoother operation all around. "If we can get cars parked on the outlying areas of the Village, it will reduce congestion," Peacock said in a telephone interview with the Saratoga News last year.

Restaurateur Bill Cooper, owner of Bella Saratoga, said he hopes the new plan will do just that--reduce congestion.

"I don't think any of us are looking at this so much as a way to improve business as we are to help out customers and reduce the number of cars driving around. It's more of a service to our existing customers," he said. "Of course, you always hope if you help your existing customers that more will come, that they'll tell a friend."

Cooper said he also hopes residents living right next to the Village also benefit from the new plan, because better valet parking will mean that fewer cars will be using residential streets to circle back around the Village looking for parking.

The plan was worked out in the course of about three meetings beginning in September of this year. Initially, the plan called for only two valet zones; some Village merchants, though, were pushing for as many as five, according to one business owner. Other businesses, apparently, wanted to know what benefit a valet parking plan would have for them. But Loft said that was kept to a minimum.

"This group has really been good about that. They have really been trying to work it out as a whole versus 'what's in it for me,' " she said.

Loft said that with clear signage, the plan should benefit all the businesses, who can promote it as available to all patrons of the Village.

Details of the plan have yet to be worked out, Cooper said, such as where the cars will be parked. Loft said Dolce Vita has offered some spaces behind its restaurant in addition to spaces behind Viaggio's.

Loft said it appears the new plan could be in effect by Thanksgiving, as hoped.

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