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Commissioners debate downtown High Street parking, enforcement and river encampments
Summary
Commissioners and residents discussed downtown High Street parking shortages, fenced private lots, buses occupying public spaces, potential enforcement options and growing riverside encampments; no formal actions were taken, but several informal directions and requests for follow-up were raised.
Millville City commissioners and residents spent an extended portion of the work session discussing persistent parking shortages on High Street and related public-safety concerns about riverside encampments.
Commissioner Sewey opened the commission discussion on High Street parking, describing fenced private lots behind Bank of America and Shannon Funeral Home that have displaced staff and visitors onto adjacent leased lots. "The city leasing the parking lot will not solve the parking problem," Sewey said, arguing that leases alone would not stop nonpatrons from occupying spaces.
Public commenters urged a mix of enforcement and planning responses. Tamara, a resident, pointed to the city's draft master plan, which recommends a downtown parking study, and cautioned that a study is less useful without enforcement of parking rules: "You don't want to pay for a parking study unless you could start enforcing certain rules," she said. Another resident suggested that abandoned vehicles occupy public lots and that reclaiming or marking public spaces could improve turnover.
Commissioners and attendees noted several practical options discussed on the record: leasing or repurposing city-owned parcels (Commissioner Sewey said the city owns 114 Smith Street, where there is room for about seven parking spaces), creating a short-term pickup zone for takeout at El Guacamole and drop-off/loading space for the Levoy Theater, and reconsidering traffic pattern changes such as making Buck Street one-way with angled parking. Vice Mayor Watson proposed bringing back a part-time parking-enforcement officer to enforce time limits and clear long-term parkers.
Several speakers also described the impact of privately owned buses parked in warehouse lots on downtown supply; participants estimated three buses take up roughly six parking spots. A speaker referenced a Zoning Board decision from 2018–2019 involving a TaeKwonDo business and questioned whether its operations function as a school, because the presence of school buses affects parking availability.
Public comment shifted to growing encampments along the river behind the old rescue squad and warehouses. Marissa Milvam urged officials to inspect the area and be proactive: "I'm asking you guys not to ignore this issue. I'm asking you to go check it out for yourselves and take a walk," she said, warning of fire risk and public-safety access problems. Commissioners acknowledged limits in enforcement: they said the city lacks resources and broader legal solutions to permanently displace people who return after cleanups, and noted that regional partners and social services are part of the complex challenge.
No ordinance changes or contracts were approved during the work session. Commissioners asked staff to continue outreach, consider enforcement options, and report back with a plan that might include a parking-study scope, targeted enforcement (including a part-time parking officer), and evaluation of specific city-owned parcels such as 601 North High Street and 114 Smith Street for possible short-term conversion to parking.
The commission also noted that an Urban Enterprise Zone sidewalk project will add lighting to parts of High Street to address safety and pedestrian access; commissioners said the DOT's intersection bump-outs will reduce available curb parking while improving crosswalk safety.
The discussion closed without formal votes; commissioners requested additional information and public feedback before considering ordinances or capital changes.
