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Planner asks Habersham County to study restoring Clarkesville town square, proposes removing 36 parking spaces
Summary
A town planner presented two design options to restore Clarkesville’s historic town square and asked the county to coordinate a feasibility study with the city and the Georgia Department of Transportation; no formal county action was taken.
Lou Oliver, a Clarkesville resident and town planner, presented two concepts March 17 asking Habersham County to join the city and the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) in studying restoration of the Clarkesville town square.
Oliver showed two options: one preserves the existing through-traffic arrangement while introducing a pair of linear greens, and a second that would more closely mirror the historic square but would require substantial traffic rerouting. He said GDOT staff told him the ‘‘option B’’ concept was feasible but that fully restoring the original square would eliminate most downtown parking and be a significant engineering challenge.
Oliver said the proposal would remove approximately 36 parking spaces (he acknowledged a typographical error in an earlier draft that listed 37) and would require an equal number of replacement spaces constructed in the same phase. He suggested several parcels as possible locations for replacement parking, including 176 Bridge Street, 603 Monroe Street and 129 Water Street, and included language in a draft resolution asking county staff to work with the city, GDOT and applicable departments to conduct traffic and feasibility studies.
Supporters in the audience and several commissioners praised the revitalization idea, but commissioners said the county must coordinate with the City of Clarkesville, consult attorneys, and fully review any proposal before taking action. No vote or formal referral was taken; commissioners asked staff to review the drawings and to confer with the city and GDOT before bringing back any formal action.
Oliver said the design’s goals are to increase pedestrian safety—bollards and pavers were discussed as traffic-calming measures—improve aesthetics, and create dedicated civic greens for festivals and markets. He asked the board to consider a study-only resolution that would require replacement parking to be provided before any spaces were removed.
The board did not adopt Oliver’s draft at the meeting. Commissioners and staff agreed to review the concept and contact the planner about next steps.
