A central topic of discussion revolved around the parking capacity and data collection methodologies implemented at Fellowship Village, a life plan community that includes a health center and a theater. Attorney Jennifer Phillips Smith, representing Fellowship Village, presented annual parking reports as part of a condition stemming from a 2016 approval. These reports were intended to address concerns about potential parking insufficiencies due to expansions at the facility.

Smith emphasized that the data collected over five years showed ample parking availability, thus far exceeding the board’s original requirement of two years of data collection. The reports, compiled from data between 2021 and 2025, suggested consistent vacancy rates. The data excluded private driveways and garages of independent living units, focusing solely on public parking areas.

However, tensions arose regarding the reliability and sufficiency of the data collected during theater events. Concerns were raised about the non-professional nature of the staff conducting daily parking counts, which could affect the credibility of the findings. To address this, Dolan and Dean, a professional engineering firm, was engaged to perform independent counts, particularly during theater events on Fridays and Saturdays. Gary Dean, a seasoned engineer with decades of experience appearing before the board, confirmed the thoroughness of these manual counts.

Despite these measures, board members expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of data from two specific theater events, a stipulation outlined in a prior resolution. This missing data became a focal point, with board members stressing its importance for evaluating peak parking demand, especially given community concerns about the theater’s accessibility to external visitors.

The board’s deliberations underscored a broader debate about whether the existing data sufficiently demonstrated parking adequacy during theater events. Some board members advocated for an additional year of data collection, while others suggested that counting one more theater event could satisfy the resolution’s requirements without placing an undue burden on the engineering team.

Public sentiment was also a factor, with approximately half of the attendees expressing objections related to the theater’s use by outsiders. The contentious nature of the proceedings was further highlighted by a closely contested vote on the application, resulting in a narrow approval margin.

In response to these issues, the board requested the submission of a more comprehensive study by December 1, 2025, which would include data from the four weekdays identified in the resolution. This would allow a more thorough evaluation of compliance with the parking management program.

Additionally, the board addressed procedural matters, including scheduling the next meeting for December 2, 2025, due to November’s meeting cancellations. Discussions also touched on an executive session concerning professional appointments for the upcoming year, following the departure of the board’s engineer.

Finally, a concern was raised about the outdated nature of the current stormwater training materials. The meeting concluded with a formal note of appreciation for all attendees and a motion to adjourn.