For those that don't get the FLS, you might want to check the City Beat Blog and this article about the city's parking ordinances.

Background: If a new business wants to open up, or if an existing business expands, it quickly runs up against a rule that says the business has to provide parking, and gives a formula to calculate the number of spots. Anyone can see how this limits any sizeable business from locating downtown, and recently became a point of contention for a local bank. The formula does not account for the often vacant parking garage, or people's use of the public parking lots around the city. Add in that churches can't by-right use their parking lots as paid parking, they must go through the special use permit process, and things are 'tight' for parking.

So this month the city takes up discussions of changing the laws to be more business friendly. They ease the formula downtown, are talking about allowing businesses to pay a fee instead of providing spaces, and other edits to make downtown more enticing to entrepreneurs.

Can't wait to see what happens. I wonder if they would consider waiving the first paid-in-lieu parking spot if they provided a dozen bike rack spaces? I have only found a single bike rack downtown, and that's set back off the street for the apartments in the building.

Tonight on a walk downtown we saw light coming from inside the new Kybecca restaurant. Upon further investigation, we found Rebecca Snyder inside explaining how to use the Enomatic machines. $2.50 later and I had my card ready to go, now just to pick one of the sixteen different selections by the glass (oh, and what size fill to get). This picture shows the smart card just to the right of the blackberry. It is sitting on the long bar in the center of the room. A perfect area to meet some new friends over a glass of wine.





Here's the quick lesson -
Talk to someone about getting a card
Load it up with some $$.
Snag glass from the bar
Pick Wine
Insert Card
Press and hold the button until you hear a click
Watch the wonderful pour fill the glass
Find seat
Repeat



We found the polished concrete bar very inviting. The metal bar stool/chairs are very comfortable. The restaurant has much of the original features of the building, from the wood floor, to the tin ceiling. Mixed in between is a great decor of modern lights, clear glass panels, and comfortable seats.

The menu is now a little more rounded, with a selection of appetizers and deserts, but expect this to expand again once the kitchen is up and running.

Get your tickets now for four days of the Rappahannock Independent Film Festival. Events run from September 18th through the 21st. Most are at The Third Floor downtown, a few at the Wounded Bookshop. All are expected to be fun. The current screenings list 30 different films. In addition to the films, there is an All Ages Concert on Thursday the 18th, and a free family film night screening of Gullivers Travels in Market Square on Friday the 19th.