Council plans three-hour limit, $50 fine
Blue Ridge City Council members have agreed to have their city attorney draft an ordinance to limit parking on East and West Main streets to three hours as well as impose fines.
The decision came after a workshop meeting on the issue Tuesday, March 1, in which Mayor Rhonda Haight informed those in attendance that an existing ordinance already limits parking on those streets to two hours, but it hasn’t been enforced.
City Administrator Eric Soroka said he believed the ordinance to have been adopted in 1979.
Aside from the one-hour extension, changes to the ordinance will include a $50 fine each time the limit is exceeded.
Before the ordinance goes into effect, signs must be placed giving notice of the law. Two readings and public hearings of the drafted ordinance must also be performed before the adoption.
During the workshop, eight business owners expressed concerns with limiting the time patrons may park with the exception of one business owner.
Business owners echoed each other in saying that enforcing a time limit would give Blue Ridge an image of inhospitality, would not be a long enough time period for visitors to shop and eat throughout downtown and expressed concern with how it would be monitored and enforced.
Haight assured that enforcing the limits won’t be an issue, and Councilwoman Angie Arp said she’d never heard of a “town going bankrupt” as a result of implementing timed parking.
Councilman Jack Taylor said that by incorporating timed parking, it would result in more customers visiting stores and restaurants in a shorter time frame.
Another concern expressed was a need for designated employee parking to which Haight said they’ve already identified several locations for such: Depot Street, Roberts Way, Mountain Street, and city hall among a couple others.
Fannin County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jamie Hensley was also in attendance and said as they work on the new property they bought for employee parking, the board may be able to agree to offer up the lot on the weekends.
Blue Ridge Chief of Police Johnny Scearce offered up an idea to see if the train would be willing to direct their customers to parking spaces outside of those on East and West Main streets to which Haight said she is trying to work with the train for such.
In addition, Susan Catron requested that the city consider 15 to 30 minute spots to allow folks to stop in places to grab what they need and go.
Haight pointed out that there are also three private lots and the city’s lot, which all require payment.
She added that they would also issue stickers to residents to allow them to park in spaces without penalty. Arp added that she feels that county residents should be considered as well.
After being told several times by business owners that the council should not make a hasty decision regarding this issue, Haight reminded everyone that the city has been working on improving the situation for 12 years and has paid thousands of dollars in parking studies, which suggest paid parking throughout.
Councilwoman Christy Kay informed those in attendance that she passed out a questionnaire to business owners in which one suggestion was for a shuttle service, and she said that she was not in favor of timed parking.