Downtown parking resolutions gain council support

All three resolutions dealing with parking around Dickson Street passed overwhelmingly at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

As at the agenda session, Mayor Lioneld Jordan and other staff members stressed that these measures did not set anything in stone, but were just a means to get the council’s intent on taking steps toward a parking plan for the entertainment district.

“Before myself and staff spends hours and hours and hours of developing something that may not pass this council,” Jordan said, “I want to make sure that we’re all on the same team bringing forward the process.”

Sharon Crosson, the city’s parking and telecommunications manager, said acquiring leases for the private parking lots would allow the city to manage the lots and bring continuity of parking enforcement to the downtown area, meaning cars would be ticketed rather than towed.

The second resolution described the intent to convert free public parking into paid parking lots. The money made from paid parking lots would enable city staff to enforce the parking regulations after hours, Crosson said.

“Not only does it generate revenue to build a future parking deck, it also puts another set of eyes and feet in the entertainment district to help with the litter control and to help with police officers,” she said.

Alderman Bobby Ferrell said he was in support of the parking ordinances, because in the face of a budget shortfall, this could lead to a revenue flow.

The third item established council intent for a residential parking permit for those who live in the neighborhoods around Dickson Street.

All three resolutions passed without a “no” vote.

Mary Robbins is a guest contributor for the Fayetteville Flyer. She declared Fayetteville as her hometown upon moving here for college. She is a Journalism graduate who enjoys live music, the outdoors and attending city council meetings. For more of Mary’s contributions, visit her author page.