The city of Clarkesville could soon draft an ordinance that would bring more restrictions to parking on the square.
Clarkesville has almost 600 parking spaces in and around the city, with about 88 on the square and nearly 500 (off-square) along the perimeter of the downtown area.
With each space on the square potentially generating an estimated $300 a year in retail sales, and an anticipated influx in business in the coming years, Councilman Brad Coppedge believes a parking ordinance is necessary.
“We have (new business) coming,” Coppedge said, noting additional employees and customers that could frequent The Hush, a Cuban restaurant that will soon come to Clarkesville.
“ … Let’s develop an (ordinance) that actually manages growth and development in the downtown area, and that’s what I’m working on right now,” Coppedge said.
Coppedge, who has for months spearheaded a dialogue over parking, opened discussions over a future ordinance at a work session on Monday, Feb. 3. With the completion of a three-month test program that encouraged businesses (owners and employees) not to park on the square, Coppedge told council the “self-policed” experiment was an overall success.
Still, he added, the city has “a couple of individuals” who haven’t complied with the test run – specifically naming Rich and Savvy’s Cigar and Bourbon Lounge and a renter who lives in the unit above that establishment.
“Outside of a couple of situations, the overall parking policy is working,” Coopedge said.
New policy, restrictions
City officials deliberated on Coppedge’s proposal for about 20 minutes Monday.
As proposed, three security cameras could be installed to monitor the duration of time people park between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. between Monday-Friday or, as Coppedge suggested, Monday-Saturday. Coppedge and city officials also proposed implementing a limit of two or three hours for on-square parking.
Off-square parking still would remain open to the public and businesses to “park as long as they want,” according to Coppedge.
The ordinance, if approved, could be suspended during city events, Clarkesville City Manager Keith Dickerson said.
During the work session, Dickerson suggested installing cameras, first, before an ordinance is officially drafted – specifically to get a better grasp of the situation.
“It gives me something to look at,” Dickerson said. “…I can go to Rich and Savvy’s and say, ‘I got you on camera. I’m going to put up two-hour parking because of you, and I’m going to make it an ordinance.’”
But Coppedge seemed inclined to push forward with an official ordinance. “Or, I could give you the 20 pictures I have already of (the owner) parking there,” he told Dickerson.
Under the potential ordinance, as proposed by Coppedge, parking violators could get one strike before they’re forced to pay a citation. The first “infraction,” Coppedge proposed, would warrant a “violation notification.” The second, he said, would be a potential fine. And the third, a higher fine. Coppedge said he hasn’t decided on how high those fines could be.
“I don’t know what else to do at this point, because it’s not a huge deal, but I think in some ways it is,” Coppedge said. “…I think it’s a way for us to put a little bit of teeth in something.”
Coppedge said more than 20 new signs could be ordered to direct individuals where to park – including a 15-minute loading and unloading sign in front of Your Pie.
Flexibility
City officials indicated there would be some leniency in such an ordinance.
For instance, if an ordinance were approved, Clarkesville Police Chief Danny Clouatre would have discretion over who is cited for violations, and as discussed by city officials, tourists who visit Clarkesville likely would not be cited for minor violations.
“I would hope we would not have an issue with somebody from out of town – unless they were there everyday, all day, for an extended period of time,” Clarkesville Mayor Barrie Aycock said.
In response, Coppedge said the ordinance is not intended to target visitors.
“We’re not talking about the out-of-towners,” he said. “We’re not talking visitors or people who spend three or four hours to enjoy Clarkesville.”
City officials also discussed the possibility that customers of certain spas or salons could be exempt from (or receive extended) time limits on parking.
Coppedge said he’s actively working on an ordinance to present to council in the coming months.
