Parking Lot - Expansion Sub Committee

Notes from November 5, 2014 Meeting

In attendance: Mike Ferguson, Jamie Graves, Gaylen Heaberlin, & Don Hiatt.

1.      Our discussion included concerns about more than 1 vehicle being driven to church by numerous families. This was the case during the recent Soup Supper and Bazaar. We wondered if or how many people may have arrived and not being able to find a parking spot, would have then left without partaking of the event.

2.      A general consensus was that the drawings provided by Bob Johnston were a very common sense approach to expanding the parking lot. This plan would add about 30 additional parking spaces.

3.      A major concern is the Septic System. Paving over the system appears to be a problem, even if a tile riser with a Man-hole-cover were in place. Jamie will look into getting Polk County records for lateral locations.

4.      The Electric Pole is a concern. Since the pole is currently deteriorating, this may be an opportunity to replace and possibly move if it is in the way of expansion.

5.       We will look into the number of required handi-cap spots. Since we have an older congregation, we may need more than what is required.

6.      Signs such as “Additional Parking” with an “Arrow” pointing to the East side of the Church and another at that East side parking saying “Rear Entrance” with an “Arrow” pointing to the sidewalk going to the rear of the Church would be appropriate. These signs are needed even now before any expansion. Thus people coming that are not familiar with our facility could park to the East without walking all the way around the front of the Church. Hopefully Handi-cap folks would park in front at the Hand-cap spots and not have to deal with the steps at the back entrance.

7.      The committee wondered if there was someone in the congregation that could do the grading for the additional parking, thus saving quite a lot of the cost. Even if we rented the equipment for the grading.

8.      We plan to invite Bob Johnston to our next meeting to answer questions.

Gaylen Heaberlin

Scribe