City council revisits parking issue
Some businesses are concerned that a recently passed city resolution could be bad for business.
The resolution in question deals with downtown parking the night before the annual Arts and Crafts Fair. As last week's City Council meeting, council members approved a resolution prohibiting downtown parking after 6 p.m. on the Friday before the fair.
Tuesday evening, council members said that some business owners are worried that customers won't come out because there's no parking.
One local business owner, according to council member Len Coryea, said that since customers couldn't come in Saturday, they were booked for Friday night instead. And many of those customers are elderly and can't walk great distances from their cars to the front doors — which they might be forced to do it no parking is allowed.
"Being already closed Saturday, she loses Saturday's work," Coryea said.
In years past, the Chamber of Commerce has encouraged local businesses to be open on Friday nights, but the new parking regulations could hinder that, he said.
According to the regulation, police have the authority to tow a car that's illegally parked after 6 p.m.
It's a situation that draws varying opinions from everyone.
"It depends on who you talk to which things are rubbing them the wrong way," said city administrator Steve Garrett.
Representatives from the Arts and Crafts Association attended the meeting to plead their case.
Last year was the first time fair exhibitors could set up their displays the night before. Exhibitors were very glad when the change came, said fair representative Marcella Mohn.
In fact, before the change was instituted, the number of artisans who'd applied for booths had dropped to around 400, Mohn said. But when they were allowed to set up on Friday, the number increased to the 600 range.
"Now with the Friday evening setup, we're back up again to 600," she said.
But because parking wasn't restricted the night before, things became chaotic downtown, said fair representative Donna Diener. Exhibitors were trying to set up their booths on the streets while cars drove around them.
"Eight o'clock rolled around, and we still had cars driving up and down the streets," Diener said. Cars were driving amid exhibitor's tents, which was a prime opportunity for a pedestrian to get hit.
"It was a bad situation," she said.
Mayor Delores Dalke said that residents should be informed of alternate parking places, such as the parking lot north of City Hall. For those not able to walk, the city could provide golf carts to shuttle them to stores, Dalke said.
The council took no action on the issue. Instead, the Chamber should communicate with the affected businesses and see how it can assist them, council members said.
Also at Tuesday's meeting, the council approved the 2004 budget. No members of the public attended the brief budget hearing, and little discussion was held.
The budget raises the city's mill levy by 0.003 — a minuscule amount.
In other council business:
Garrett reported that the city is close to hiring a new recreation commission director. The decision should be made by next week, he said.
Next week's regularly scheduled council meeting will take place at 6 p.m. instead of 4 p.m.
