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Effingham business owners and city staff debate parking options as downtown grows
Summary
At a downtown focus session for the comprehensive plan, residents and business owners described frequent parking overstays and event overflow and weighed costly parking garages against lower‑cost options such as better signage, reserved spots, shuttles and technology. City staff said a garage would require demonstrated need and likely county cooperation.
Effingham city planner Greg Custer convened a downtown focus group to guide the city’s comprehensive plan and spent much of the meeting on parking, where business owners and residents described recurring problems and proposed mixed solutions.
"We had some great cooperation… one complaint that contractors had was all the traffic downtown," Custer said, framing a conversation that ranged from short‑term overstays in 15‑ and 30‑minute spaces to courthouse employees occupying prime spots all day. Local business owners said those overstays and event crowds strain parking and occasionally push customers away.
Business owners proposed a variety of remedies: clearer signage and public…
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