MONROE, N.C. — The city of Monroe is exploring paid parking in its downtown area.
It’s launching a pilot paid parking program to assess the demand and interest for paid parking. City officials say this is part of a larger plan to address parking in the downtown area which is growing and seeing more business.
Monroe is a small town with a big community.
“Everybody just knows each other and it’s just a great community,” Kelly Sherwood, who grew up in Monroe, said.
With any growing city, there come growing pains.
“We’re a social district now, depending on if there is a band in town, or an event it can take a while to get parking,” said Sherwood. “You may have to circle the block.”
From lots to on-street parking in downtown Monroe, it’s all free. It’s also an appeal for many in downtown Monroe.
“It shouldn’t cost to take my grandparents out to grab a coffee or bite to eat. It shouldn’t cost to take my fiancé or daughter out to get a waffle,” said Funroe Board Co. Manager, Alexander Torgeson.
City leaders are looking at ways to manage parking downtown. Through the pilot program, businesses or residents could lease up to two spaces in the city-owned lot near North Hayne and East Crowell streets. Each space is 1000 dollars for the 6-month program kicking off November 1st.
The 18-space lot is closing to the public on Oct. 28.
Some say that they wouldn’t mind having a designated spot for their business, but others worried losing the lot to free public parking would make finding parking in the area more difficult.
“Bad idea,” Torgeson said. “I don’t think it is good. There’s already enough congestion as it is in Monroe.”
“If it brings money to the city, it could be beneficial but obviously as a patron, no,” Sherwood said. “I don’t want our business owners to suffer. Monroe is moving in the right direction as far as growing and having things for families.”
Sherwood said she could see some benefits to businesses and customers.
“If I needed to get in and get out somewhere or I needed to be somewhere at a certain time then, yeah,” Sherwood said.
The parking lot would provide residents or businesses with a premium spot downtown.
But not everyone is a fan of the plan.
“One of the things we based our business on is that we had ample parking, free ample parking diagonally from us. It may not be as convenient as parking right in front of our business, but it is fantastic for events,” Carley Englander, the Owner of East Frank Superette Kitchen, said.
Some are concerned that the pilot program is a peek into what’s to come and this will take away Monroe’s appeal.
“You have a big parking lot across the street over here that is public, that’s next on the list. I bet,” said Scott Bland, a Monroe resident & vendor. “If it is not, the one on Main Street is next and you can’t do this to our businesses.”
He adds if paid parking expands in the area, it will hurt businesses, including his own.
“Businesses are starting to boom, they are doing some really good business but when you are starting to restrict the access to the business to have to pay for parking for a little town like this it is going to stop people from just coming down,” said Bland.
“The people who own businesses here, who are here all the time. It’s not reasonable for people like that,” Englander said. “I just worry that it is setting a standard for them to do it in the future, to all of the lots.”
The applications open on Monday, Oct. 21 and the spaces will be available on a first come first serve basis. The pilot program will run from November through April then staff will present the city council with feedback. It will be up to city leaders to decide what’s next.