Better parking solutions should be found before hotel and distillery are open, says Chamber of Commerce executive director
Members of the Downtown Henderson Partnership say a recently conducted survey shows that most downtown business owners don’t want time limits on parking to return.
That was one of several key points that DHP presented to the Henderson City Commission Tuesday about parking, an always hot-button topic that will only get thornier if better plans aren’t put in place—especially when considering future parking issues that could arise when the announced boutique hotel in the Soaper Building and the Rhythm River Distillery are operating, said Henderson Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Clay Gillham.
Another key point from the presentation was that a parking garage probably isn’t a good solution. Henderson Tourist Commission Executive Director Abby Dixon visited several similar-sized towns in the state, and she found one, Danville, that had a parking garage.
Dixon said Danville’s local government in 2007 embarked on a 5-year construction of a 300-spot garage, costing $7 million. She said people there said the garage is “underutilized.”
“It really has not provided the solution,” Dixon said.
The DHP survey also showed that business owners believe their business is hurt because of the parking situation downtown, and the current free and unlimited spots is not a sustainable option for all downtown employees.
Among the possible solutions suggested by DHP include pursuing private-public partnerships that would allow for spaces within close range of the most congested areas of downtown dedicated to downtown employees.
Gillham said downtown businesses that own lots might not need all a lot’s spaces, and a deal could be made to allow others to use those spaces, such as employees of other businesses and downtown residents.
Gillham also encouraged clearer communication of available lots and spaces downtown through online maps and information and via signage in the area.
Henderson Mayor Brad Staton said the city asked that DHP conduct the survey, and with the findings, the city is going to form a work group to implement some suggested changes while exploring others.
He said the work group is going to be established by the commission’s next regular meeting in May.
Additionally, he said a vote will occur on extending a current parking moratorium. The city paused parking enforcement on July 31 of last year after it had re-started it about a month earlier.
Staton said DHP’s work has been “very thorough” and he wants to keep moving on finding solutions.
