New Haven Independent

Pinkard is pastor of Bethel Temple Church of God in Christ on Frank Street. He and Hedges have plans to build a new church building at 112 Frank , an exceptionally narrow one-way off Ella Grasso Boulevard, and not far from the new Truman School. The church has been attracting a local congregation for 30 years.

When they demolish the two inadequate structures on the small lot, the newly configured church will have parking for only 15 cars. The parking requirement per the zoning regulations, according to Board of Zoning Appeals and City Plan Commission staffer Stephen Harris, is one space for every eight seats in the proposed house of worship, which will have room for 160.

That means the new grounds must provide 20 spaces. But even with cramming their new church within eight feet of the lot line on the sidewalk side, they can fit in only 15 parking spaces.

This past week found them at the same City Plan meeting as developers of a project at the other end of the economic development spectrum — Becker and Becker, builders of the 31-story tower planned for the old Shartenberg site at Chapel and State streets downtown. The church project is tiny, the Shartenberg project huge, but they share a common problem: parking.

Of the many reasons our fair and historic city is obsessed with parking, one is that New Haven has many narrow streets that were wide enough for carriages, even horseless ones, but now do poorly in the era of Hummers. And the more people who park on them, the more traffic problems. This is true on State and Chapel and especially true in the older residential parts of the town, as in the Hill.

Pinkard and Hedges came before the BZA early in October seeking a Special Exception to provide only 15 spaces where 20 are required. Since by law all construction resulting in parking reduction is automatically referred to the City Plan Commission, whether Becker and Becker or Bethel Temple Church, that’s where the case was this past week, on the same night that Becker and Becker received the first special permit (for lots or garages of 200 or more) approval.

Happily for Pastor Pinkard, the City Plan commissioners also voted in his favor. The recommendations of Stephen Harris and the City Plan staff were that while parking spots will be reduced, the 15 spaces will be far better organized than at present, clearly laned, legal (whereas now parking is haphazard, half on pavement half on grass). And the circulation in and out onto Frank Street will be much better. In short, said Harris, “an acceptable trade-off.” The commissioners agreed with that thinking.

Now, with City Plan’s recommendation in hand, the pastor returns to BZA next month for a final vote. One must wonder if a pastor thinks getting into heaven will require any more permits. If Pastor Pinkert gets his in November, the congregation hopes to begin construction in the spring. Amen.