A new parking lot that finally opened in Cloverdale is already full most days. What鈥檚 more, Paul Orazietti says, is that it鈥檚 being used inefficiently.

鈥淲e鈥檙e losing parking spaces,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not laid out correctly.鈥�

Orazietti, the executive director of the Cloverdale BIA, said the next big step is to get it paved and get an entryway built that will allow access straight from 56A Avenue. Right now access in from an adjacent parking lot and the throughway eats up valuable parking spaces.

"It makes sense,鈥� he noted. 鈥淚t was just built and its already full.鈥�

Orazietti said with paving, painting, landscaping, and a proper entrance, he thinks another 15 to 20 spots could be made available.

鈥淲e want to make it more efficient, spacewise. We want to put more light in there so you can see at night time. And we want to add a bit of landscaping.鈥�

He said the BIA has money in the bank for it from 2024. They鈥檙e now trying to work with the city to get the paving done.

鈥淲e鈥檙e carrying it over from last year鈥檚 budget,鈥� Orazietti noted. 鈥淲e are talking to the city manager (Rob Costanzo) and we want to find out what the plans are for Cloverdale.鈥�

He鈥檚 not sure if the City Hall will get to the lot this year, but he鈥檚 trying to work with them in a 鈥渘on-offensive鈥� way to get it done.

One way to get the lot moving ahead may be as part of the city鈥檚 鈥淔ocus鈥� plans. Orazietti cited the 鈥淔ocus Newton鈥� plan the city has set out and said he鈥檚 trying to find out if there will be a 鈥淔ocus Cloverdale鈥� plan鈥攕omething he noted Cloverdale desperately needs.

Orazietti said with all the massive changes coming to the area鈥攆rom both the many new housing builds in the downtown core (condos and townhomes) and the new hospital going in south of Highway 10鈥攊t鈥檚 more important than ever that Cloverdale prepare for the influx of new residents.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 know what all the elements are, but we want to bring forward some reports to the city that may help with the process.鈥�

Some of the concerns are how to deal with: densification, aging infrastructure, mixed-use zoning changes, sidewalk and mobility safety issues, and others.

鈥淧art of what Focus Cloverdale would be would be the city talking to the community,鈥� Orazietti added. 鈥淭hings that we think are important. Some of that would include things like: dog parks, community gardens, more green space, more parking lots鈥攃ommunity amenities.鈥�

As for the parking area, it's an extension of the lot west of the Dann鈥檚 Electronics building on 176th. The lot was opened early last fall after the land was levelled, crushed gravel put down, and some concrete barricades brought in.

The lot has been years in the making. The BIA worked with the city to get the house removed and the lot prepared for paving.

鈥淭he money鈥檚 there and we want to work with the city, but we have to understand their budget timeline,鈥� Orazietti added. 鈥淲e want to get it done. Based on a survey of our membership, it's鈥� the number one item on their list.鈥�