BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Parking is returning to the front burner now that the new Clarkston City Council has settled in after the election.
Church Street residents have been telling council about parking congestion on the side streets where they live.
“Our street has become an employee parking lot for workers at the downtown restaurants – most cars arrive between 3-4 p.m. and do not leave until 9-11 p.m.,” wrote Doug and Judy Roeser in a letter to city council. “I realize that the change of use for the newest restaurant(s) was arrived despite a recognized lack of adequate available parking – we, as longtime residents of a residentially zoned area, are being very adversely impacted by that decision. The character of our neighborhood is being destroyed.”
The city is considering solutions, said Mayor Steve Percival at the Nov. 28 meeting.
“We’re drilling down on the parking issue,” Percival said. “I’ve walked your street at different hours, so I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on. Hopefully we’ll start doing things pretty quickly to alleviate it.”
Ideas include new parking areas for employees, shuttle services, and restricting parking to one side of the street.
“It’s been a problem, especially now with Honchos and the new restaurant (in the former Clarkston State Bank),” the mayor said. “We’re working to get it solved.”
A parking inventory earlier this year counted 394 parking spaces in public and private lots available for use by the public at least after normal business hours, not including those on East Washington Street and East Church Street.
The two new restaurants will require an additional 192 parking spaces, pushing parking-space usage over 100 percent.
The new Honcho Union Joints restaurant includes seating for 95 patrons inside and 20 outside. The estimated parking requirement is for 69 vehicles, based on the ordinance requirement of 0.6 spaces per seat ratio. The site plan shows six proposed on-street parking spaces on Church and Main streets.
The restaurant plan in the former bank includes seating for 114 on the main floor, 71 on the lower level, and 20 outside. Estimated parking requirement is 123 vehicles, using 0.6 spaces per seat.
City Council granted parking waivers to the restaurants when they were approved last year, under ordinance Section 20.02U, General Requirements, Parking Space Deferment. Exemptions are granted “if the applicant can demonstrate and the Planning Commission finds that adequate public parking is provided within a reasonable walking distance from the subject site.”

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