LAKELAND, Fla. — Some Lakeland business owners are concerned about proposed changes to downtown parking, including getting rid of free street parking.
Marcos Fernandez, co-owner of Nineteen61 that's located right on Main Street in downtown Lakeland, said his customers enjoy the convenience of being able to find free street parking near his restaurant.
“A lot of people park close by. They don't mind parking on the street. They prefer to be walking distance from the restaurant,” Fernandez said.
Currently, downtown visitors can park in on-street parking for free, for up to two hours, then pay $1-an-hour for up to two more hours.
Fernandez thinks ending that practice could deter patrons from visiting his establishment.
“Normally people come into the restaurant for two hours. They don't want to have to pay another $2 or $4 or whatever it is, when they’re just having a quick bite. I think that’s a deterrent,” said Fernandez.
A downtown parking management plan presented to Lakeland City Commissioners recommends eliminating free 2-hour parking and raising the rate to up to $2.
“If we take away the 2-hour free parking, it’s going to impact our patrons,” Fernandez said. “It’s a terrible idea, especially right now with the climate.”
The city's goal is to have a quick turnover in on-street parking. People looking for cheaper parking would be encouraged to use one of the city's garages at a rate of $1 per hour.
Some business owners are open to the idea of increasing the parking fee.
“If I'm going to a downtown area, it doesn’t matter if we’re going to downtown St. Pete, I know I'm going to have to pay, from the time I get there to the time I leave. So, for me it doesn't bother me as much,” said Tim Calhoon, Vice President of Frescos Southern Kitchen.
While city commissioners have not made any decision yet, the city will simplify signage to help people understand where and how to park.
“A lot of the signage has been about where you can't park instead of where you can park, so that is going to flip. I think you’ll see people using garages more because it will be better communicated,” said Julie Townsend, Executive Director of Lakeland Downtown Development Authority.
Townsend said on-street parking will continue to be free for the first two hours until at least 2025.
