CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A debate over downtown parking in Clarksville is expected to return to the City Council this week, as leaders consider a proposal that would move parking enforcement responsibilities from the Clarksville Parking Commission to the Clarksville Police Department.
The discussion has been ongoing for months and centers on how the city should manage parking while balancing enforcement, customer convenience and city finances.
For downtown visitor Anthony Garrison, the issue starts with finding a parking space.
Garrison says he often looks for one of the city's free two-hour parking spaces along Franklin Street. Under the current system, drivers can park for free for up to two hours if they register online.
However, Garrison says those spaces are frequently occupied by the time he arrives downtown. "If you don't have to pay for parking as much, then more people can spend more money in their businesses as well," Garrison said.
When free spaces are unavailable, Garrison says he often chooses to take his business elsewhere.
The proposal
Councilman Joe Shakeenab has been one of the leading voices pushing for changes to the current system. His proposal would place downtown parking enforcement under the Clarksville Police Department instead of the parking commission.
Shakeenab argues the current civilian staff has limited enforcement options when people fail to pay parking citations. "It's a big problem and the problem wasn't created overnight," Shakeenab said.
He believes police enforcement, which could include city court, would provide stronger accountability for drivers who ignore citations. "Parkers decide to pay, then they pay. If parkers do not feel like they need to pay, then there's no stick," he said.
The push back
Business owners downtown have expressed concerns about how any changes could affect customers.
Jeff Robinson, owner of Blackhorse Pub and Brewery, said parking remains critical for businesses throughout downtown Clarksville. "Parking is the lifeblood of all these little businesses downtown," Robinson said.
Robinson said he is not necessarily defending the current system but wants city leaders to carefully consider any changes. "We just need a coherent strategy that kind of puts it all together and makes it easy for the customer to pull in, park, do their business and leave," Robinson said.
During previous council discussions, some council members raised concerns about assigning sworn officers to parking enforcement duties. "I do think something has to be done about the parking situation," Councilwoman Wanda Smith said during a prior discussion.
Councilman Jimmy Brown voiced opposition to using police officers for the task. "I'm also not in favor of having certified, sworn officers going downtown and writing parking tickets," Brown said.
Garrison, meanwhile, said his primary concern is not who enforces parking rules but the cost of parking itself. "I know everything costs money, but at what point is -- you gotta stop paying for everything," said Garrison.
The debate also carries financial implications. During a recent council meeting, Heather Boyd with the city's parking management told council members the parking commission is running a deficit of more than $200,000 this year. The city will also need to pay down debt related to the new parking garage on Commerce Street.
The Clarksville City Council is expected to revisit the issue during its meeting Thursday night. They could opt to heavily amend or even defer this proposal to a later date.
Some critics, including Robinson, have asked the council to wait until a new Clarksville Mayor is elected.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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