Members of the Vending Oversight Committee sought to improve the culture of State Street by approving proposals for newspaper vending machines, planters and bicycle racks.
\Newspaper vending has consistently existed of various designs of size and color promoting no uniform design,"" Archie Nicolette, member of City Planning Office said. The new design would use the current style of vending machines with pre-existing trash containers made in Canada. These black metallic trash containers have a sleek design with room for a hose bed, he added.
""The goal is not to have any newspaper vending on State Sreet but off the street in designated areas,"" Nicolette said.
With time to do this, the committee decided to further explore this design with the newspaper vending approach used in Chicago, Chair of the State St. Design Oversight Committee Ted Crabb said.
A new proposal will allow 48 new planters to be placed in designated areas throughout the 100 block of State Sreet, City Engineer Steve Goede said. These gray/green color planters will be removed by forklift for the winter season, Geode said.
The need for additional bicycle racks has been brought to the City Council in the past. The installation of 20 more bicycle racks on the 100 Block of State St. has been proposed in addition to the previously placed stalls, Geode said.
Placing bike racks close to State St. raises concern with a decrease in space for small businesses such as farmer's markets. ""I strongly disagree with the presence of bike racks, and see no reason to remove small vendors for bike racks. Bike racks can go places where vendors cannot,"" said Rosemary Lee, vice chair of Vending Oversight Committee.
The Oversight Committee approved the motion to report back to City Council allowing reflection on the conflicting resolutions involving the future placements of bike racks, Crabb said.
