DDA: Towing will be for two-hour zone, not citywide

Miscommunication from a news post on social media led many to believe the Downtown Development Authority was gearing up to start towing vehicles that stayed more than two hours in any downtown parking space. 

This is not true, and the topic came up during Thursday afternoon’s Dublin City Council meeting and at the Downtown Merchants meeting held later at Theatre Dublin. 

DDA Executive Director Glenda Berry and DDA Chairman Rob Miller said the only place the DDA has talked about towing is the 20 parking spaces located behind Deano’s, Saltwater Fishery and Moe’s on Madison. 

“We designated that as premier parking spots for a year now,” Berry said. “That was done as an opportunity to accommodate restaurant patrons who were coming downtown to do lunch.” 

The DDA and business owners noticed that vehicles were parking in these premium places longer than the two-hour limit, which only runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. This raised frustrations from the business owners. 

“Our DDA board had a conversation that there needed to be some consequences and some accountability,” Berry said. 

Miller told downtown merchants that they plan to have new signs put up letting people know that they will start towing vehicles if they are parked longer than two hours.

“We’re still finalizing our signs, but we are looking at the first part of February to start towing cars,” Miller said. “This parking lot is maintained by the DDA and this is something to help the businesses downtown. And right now with the way Madison Street is, on street parking is out of pocket. When the Madison Street project is done, we’ll have on street parking there as it was before. I feel very comfortable that when it is done it is going to be very beautiful.”

Miller has seen the comments on social media with people wanting to build a parking deck. He said the cost for a parking deck would be approximately $15,000 to $20,000 per car. 

“That’s not very feasible right now in downtown Dublin,” Miller said. “There is plenty of parking in downtown. You may just have to walk a little bit. Bear with us on the parking. It’s an issue that is going to be around, and that’s a good thing. If we have issues of finding places for people to park that means we’ve got people coming downtown, and that’s good.” 

Miller has heard people complaining about GovStrive employees and where they park downtown. 

“GovStrive is not the problem,” Miller said. “They have done a great job of making sure their people aren’t parking in the immediate area around their offices. They are not a problem at all.”  

During city council comments, Councilman Richard Mascaro asked Berry to speak on the topic of parking.

“We are trying to be very careful and thoughtful in terms of how we would manage the towing and how we would monitor the parking lot,” Berry said.

Councilman Bennie Jones asked how they would know what is going on in the parking lot, to which Berry said they can monitor what is going on at the Market on Madison, Theatre Dublin and soon cameras will be overlooking the 20 two-hour parking spaces.

“Throughout the hours, we have an opportunity to look at our screens so that we can keep up with what the parking lot looks like,” Berry said. “That’s how the parking lot will be monitored. We certainly want to be pro-active, positive and supportive of especially our restaurants who have an finite period of time with lunch crowds. It was done as a way to be positive and not punitive.” 

Jones  asked if the two-hour parking spaces were already marked. Berry said they were, although someone had recently struck and knocked down one sign.

“That is the second time that has happened,” Berry said. 

Mascaro said the public may not understand how the situation is “drastically” affecting the restaurants’ business during lunch.

“We have to do everything we can to be a business-rich environment in downtown Dublin,” he said.

Berry added that they would like to incorporate a “Park With Your Heart” campaign to encourage people to look at all of the parking that is available and walk a little bit further from their destination.

“This way they can get a little bit more exercise, which will promote a little more of that Southern hospitality and also promotes good health,” Berry said. “As long as there have been downtowns, parking has always been an issue. I was reading a novel that was written back in the 1980s, and one of the comments was from a sheriff talking about the parking in downtown. This is something that has been around for a long time. We may not have a perfect solution but we are trying to find something that will help the citizens.” 

In another parking related issue, Dublin City Hall will have its front door closed beginning Monday for facade work.

“The city employees will be reserving parking spaces for the public to use along the side of the building,” said Dublin City Manager Josh Powell. “Employees will be parking a little further off.”

Powell said patrons and employees can enter through the door on the side or at the back of the building.

“That work will begin Monday and should last eight weeks,” he said.