With the city’s blessing, plans for the New York Botanical Garden’s new parking garage are now official, although there still may be a few details to work out with the community.

The New York City Board of Standards and Appeals approved plans for the garage, on Webster Avenue between Bedford Park Boulevard and Botanical Square South, on April 10. Now, nothing – as far as approval processes – stands in the way of construction, slated to begin in 2008, says George Shakespear, a spokesperson for the Garden.

But Barbara Stronczer, chair of the Community Board 7’s Parks Committee, said that the community has concerns that must still be addressed.

"We’re still hoping to negotiate for a better situation," she says, particularly as to how the garage impacts the surrounding residential and commercial areas.

The facility is, first and foremost, according to its zoning designation, an "accessory garage," providing parking for visitors, members and staff of the Garden only.

However, the Garden has also put forward a system that would allot a number of spaces for overnight parking by local residents. But this is contingent upon a resident becoming a monthly member of the Garden, which requires a $60 fee.

Stronczer says the community was looking instead for daytime parking for commercial traffic and perhaps for commuters, who park in Norwood and then take mass transit into the city, rather than overnight parking.

Also, one of the facility’s two exits is still a right-turn only onto Botanical Square South, possibly increasing traffic in a heavily-populated section of this one-way, residential street. Although Garden engineers proposed making Botanical Square South a two-way street, that change was not approved by the Department of Transportation.

Access and traffic aside, no one denies the aesthetic qualities of the plan: v-shaped columns supporting a flowering trellis comprise the façade of the garage, which was designed by Polshek Partnership Architects, the Garden’s master planner, and Desman Associates, a firm that specializes in transportation improvements and parking facilities.

Garden officials say the community will benefit when an attractive six-story garage accommodating 825 cars replaces the industrial space on Webster Avenue, currently filled by Atlas Welding and Broiler Repair and an abandoned gas station. (Atlas Welding is relocating to New Rochelle.)

Furthermore, the Garden claims that by more fully accommodating visitor parking, the new garage will prevent the overflow traffic that results in Garden visitors  searching Bedford Park and Norwood for street parking.

As to any further discussion of community concerns, Shakespear says, "Whenever the Community Board has a question or issue, they know to call us and we will respond, as we always do. This is an ongoing, cooperative relationship."

Although the Garden is still not sure at this point how many spaces will be available and increased traffic on Botanical Square is not yet a reality, Stronczer says, "Later on, rest assured, the subject will be opened up again.”