Greer council workshop reviews downtown parking study; on-street spaces nearly full at peak

Greer City Council held a workshop Feb. 26, 2025, to review a downtown parking study by Walker Consultants that found on-street parking reached 98% occupancy during a Friday evening peak counted in November and that the district has about 147 delineated on-street spaces and roughly 875 public off-street spaces.

The study, commissioned by the city and presented by Jim Booker of Walker Consultants, drew on two site visits, stakeholder meetings and a public survey of 561 respondents. Booker said the analysis shows high curb occupancy and lower utilization of off-street inventory, and he urged the council to identify a local champion to carry any parking-management program forward. "If we just deliver your recommendations and nothing's done with it, or we don't have anybody to sorta carry that forward, it's just gonna sorta sit there as it is," Booker said.

The study area covered roughly 20 blocks centered on Greer Station, running to the rail line at Moore Street to the south and Arlington to the north. Consultants reported a combined public and private off-street utilization of about 43% during the observed peak while on-street inventory registered 98% use during the November 8 dinner-period count (6:30–8:00 p.m.). Turner/turnover analysis—based on repeated license-plate observations during day and evening intervals—identified vehicles parked across multiple sessions, suggesting extended stays in some curb spaces.

Stakeholder meetings and the survey flagged recurring concerns and preferences. Respondents ranked a two-hour curb limit as the most acceptable parking duration, and the largest user groups reported coming for restaurants and events. Common stakeholder requests included clearer wayfinding to the Jason Street parking deck and the entrance to that structure, more consistent hours and visibility for the Greer Station shuttle, additional short-term curb turnover (including valet), and dedicated loading zones for deliveries and small-business needs. Booker noted behavioral barriers: although many survey respondents said they would accept parking in an off-street deck and walking one to two blocks, usage patterns showed preference for curb and surface parking.

Consultants described possible management tools discussed with stakeholders: time-limited curb parking in the commercial core, better signage or "trailblazing" to direct drivers to the parking deck, repurposing curb spaces for pickup/drop-off or short-term use, targeted loading zones, limited valet zones during evening hours, and pursuing more off-street inventory through leasing, acquisition or shared-parking agreements. Booker also discussed the trade-offs between surface and structured parking, noting structured facilities provide more inventory per footprint but cost more to build.

The Greer Station shuttle received repeated mention. Stakeholders said the on-demand/app-driven service is useful but inconsistently visible or scheduled; some recommended more visible fixed pickup points or a circulator loop so visitors could more easily identify pickup locations. Booker suggested that clearer signage at pickup locations and a promotional effort could raise awareness and ridership; he cautioned that moving to a rigid schedule would increase complexity and cost.

Participants raised safety and multimodal concerns. Crossing Poinsett and Main streets affects perceptions of distance and walkability; one council participant said state and county highways that run through downtown reduce available curb space and create barriers to walking between parking and destinations. Consultants also noted practical constraints to converting parallel to angled parking, citing right-of-way geometry and traffic navigation.

Katrina Woodruff, a city staff member who helped organize the workshop, closed the session after the presentation and council discussion. No formal motions or votes were recorded during the workshop; the presentation and a draft report were previously provided to staff in December, and the study authors emphasized that implementation will require local policy choices and a designated lead to carry any program forward.

Next steps discussed by councilmembers and consultants included further curb-management planning, more detailed design for wayfinding to the Jason Street deck, exploring shared-parking agreements, and testing shuttle pickup visibility improvements. The council did not adopt any new ordinance or policy at the workshop.