The other day someone asked me if I received any grief over a column I wrote about if Millburn had a parking problem or a walking problem.

I hadn't received any feedback on that particular column, and this person was the first person to even mention it to me. He was surprised since that column ran a month ago, and I'm surprised I didn't get any comments either.

Downtown parking seems to be a hot topic in Millburn, and it was a subject for discussion at Tuesday's Township Committee meeting. In fact, it seems the Millburn-Short Hills Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Millburn Development Alliance are bringing forward sensible ideas. They want to work to get this subject off the front burner so merchants can get back to getting shoppers back in their stores.

But there's a new variable in the downtown Millburn parking discussion: Free parking.

The gravel parking area is adjacent to the old, vacant Rimback building. You enter the parking area via Spring Street.

When the lot was completed, some wondered if anyone would use it. It would mean people would have to walk to use it. See my previous column on the topic if people are walking for parking.

But thus far, the area has been pretty popular. There was even a day where I took the last parking spot in the lot. There is always a steady stream of cars in the lot. It'll be interesting to see what happens when the larger gravel area is ready for use. No time has been set yet for when that area will be ready, according to Tim Gordon, town administrator.

But part of the problem could be that unless you know the lot is there, you would never see it. There are no signs on Spring Street or Millburn Avenue indicating there is parking there. It's only when you're in the lot do you see the signs indicating the area is for free parking.

If there were more signs, I'm sure more people would use the lot. Especially if the word "free" was in those signs.