With several new businesses on the horizon, downtown parking is a concern.
Curt Catallo’s proposed restaurant at Main and Church streets, which received preliminary approval from city council on June 22, would seat up to 138.
At the same meeting, Brightside Dental was granted site plan approval for a 1,500-square-foot addition to their 55 S. Main business.
Under current city ordinance, the addition would mean the dental office must provide 27 parking spaces.
‘Brightside Dental has no parking now as they are required,” said Robert Roth from Washington Management. ‘They are parking in the public lot, which is always full.”
Former City Council member Peg Roth wants to know what the city plans to do in the future.
‘What happens when businesses open in the old Clarkston State Bank and Sutherland building,? she asked.
The city requires new buildings, and those changed or expanded, to provide parking. However, the city can collect payment in lieu of parking spaces in the “parking deferment zone,” listed in the city Offstreet Parking and Loading Ordinance. The zone encompasses the business district from just north of Washington Street to Waldon Road.
Parking deferment allows a developer or business to pay the city a fee for each space required in lieu of creating parking. The value of a parking spot equals the cost of planning, acquiring, and constructing a new space ? about $10,000 per spot, said Councilwoman Sharron Catallo.
The final price will be set by city council after consultation and review by city engineers and planners.
Residents and business owners say the city needs to enforce the ordinance and businesses need to pay and provide parking.
‘There is no money in the fund,” City Manager Carol Eberhardt said.
Several questions were raised about why the ordinance has not been enforced.
‘For a long time it was a ghost town around here,” said city resident Lorry Mahler. “Now I just think if people can’t find a place to park they will just go find a new perfect place. I just don’t see how you can waive parking requirements.?
Councilman David Marsh also asked why the ordinance has not been enforced.
‘Parking should not be given away,” Roth told council.
Although two parking lots with at least 100 spots behind the Clarkston Mills is private, owners have allowed public parking for years. According to owners of Washington Management, the lot is always full of employees and patrons of local restaurants.
That could change, said businessman Ed Adler.
‘There should not be selective enforcement of the parking ordinance,” Adler said. ‘You cannot waive the requirements for one business and charge another.”
After numerous complaints, the city made several changes to downtown public parking, including placing a two-hour limit on parking.
Councilman Eric Haven said he favors a viable commercial district because a successful downtown makes the entire community, and surrounding communities more attractive.
‘We can see from all our public events people love it here,” Haven said.
Marsh said he could see where a parking structure could be built at Main and Waldon.
However, each parking space in a structure costs over $20,000 each to build, he said.
The American Planning Association recommends communities re-evaluate parking standards and requirements.
Michigan Association of Planning recommends small towns install parking meters because they encourage vehicle turnover and raise revenue.
The city’s Master Plan calls for minimized and shared parking as well as some additional on-street parking. It also calls on officials to create parking improvement plans to identify parking demands and ‘perceptions? of parking supply, design specific parking lot improvements and signage changes.
While parking was identified as needing improvement under the master plan, so were other details on Main Street.
The Master Plan calls for wider sidewalks in the city for pedestrians, slower traffic, space for trees between sidewalk and road, and room for benches and other street furniture.
Main Street should be constructed and improved to maximize visual impact of the street in the community, it concluded.
Downtown parking snapshot
City lots for public parking at Main and Washington, and north of Depot Park, and spaces along city streets total about 190 spots. Spaces are limited to two hours on weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Thirty parking permits have been issued by city staff. Rudy’s parking lot includes seven spaces.
Private parking includes two lots behind Clarkston Mills, with over 100 spots. A lot with about 33 spots behind businesses, including the Woodshop, is on the east side of Main, 23 spots behind the Clarkston Union, and nine in the Clarkston News private lot. Private lots at Healthquest and Kinetics and other private parking spaces throughout the city. After 5 p.m. visitors are allowed to park in the Clarkston News parking lot.
Before 5 p.m. weekdays, 16 businesses are open, not including the nine offices in one building on the south end of Main. The Woodshop opens at 4 p.m. After 5 p.m., businesses remaining open include the Woodshop, Union, Rudy’s, Essence on Main and a few retail stores.