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Staff presents downtown parking study; commissioners and businesses discuss trade-offs and possible lots
Summary
Staff presented a downtown parking study and maps that identify existing on- and off-street spaces and candidate public lots; commissioners and downtown stakeholders discussed leasing, purchasing and design options.
City planning staff presented a downtown parking study to the City Commission of the City of Newberry on Feb. 24 and asked the commission for feedback on priorities and potential next steps.
Chelsea Bekaitis, a planner, said staff prepared the study after the commission directed work on downtown revitalization and parking. “The goal is to create convenient, safe parking to support retail, restaurant, cultural and office facilities within the redevelopment area by enhancing existing parking and expanding parking opportunities when possible,” Bekaitis told the commission.
Bekaitis said the study used FDOT data for on-street parking and a staff inventory for off-street spaces. FDOT’s one-way pair study identified 109 existing on-street spaces; staff counted 92 existing off-street spaces in the downtown study area and later clarified that an earlier slide’s “232” figure refers to a total if all candidate lots were converted to parking (not additional spaces on top of other totals).
Using the map staff presented, commissioners discussed short- and long-term options: leasing or purchasing private lots, partnering with churches and clubs to formalize shared use, converting the annex lot (as part of the DOT one-way-pair construction), and creating angled parking on 250 Fourth Street. Staff noted limited opportunities in some privately owned lots and said conversations have begun with property owners and railroads about potential sites east of the tracks.
Commissioner Coleman and downtown business representatives urged staff to explore a lease with railroad or private owners for large informal parking areas near the tracks. Jamie (staff) and others said the city currently has a lease on the west side of the tracks but had not finalized arrangements on the east side. City manager and staff said DOT’s one-way-pair project will remove some on-street spaces but add new on-street parking on “ladder” streets; staff recommended planning communal parking in advance of zoning changes to a Central Business District (CBD) designation.
Commissioners also raised festival-day capacity and liability concerns for privately owned lots used during events. Lisa Tate, who owns a downtown property, said the family has at times roped off the lot because of land-title and liability issues; Tate said she would consider leasing arrangements that address liability.
Bekaitis closed the presentation asking the commission for feedback; commissioners provided a range of ideas and directed staff to continue negotiations with property owners and to consider angled parking and site acquisition/leasing. No formal action was taken; staff will return with further analysis and any recommended acquisitions, leases or design proposals.
