Panel: Beaufort should stop offering free parking

Beaufort should stop offering two free hours of parking downtown and immediately create more spaces, the city's parking task force recommended Thursday night.

In the end, there was no discernible benefit to downtown business by way of increased sales, according to numbers provided to the parking group by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce. In some cases, merchants' numbers were worse compared to the same time last year.

During the free trial, which began in December, people parked an average of two hours and moved, the study found. Employees of downtown business clogged prime spaces the task force valued at $37.50 an hour for the business they fronted.

Free parking has created a $62,000 deficit for the city, which has contracted with SP+ to manage parking.

The report was a wake-up call for some who previously supported the idea, including Panini's owner Paul Thompson. He said he came to the meeting to speak in support of free parking because of what he saw as an increase in foot traffic to his restaurant but adjusted his comments to suggest enforcement have more teeth.

"Virtually everybody we asked liked (free parking)," said Pete Palmer, who co-chaired a subgroup that looked at immediate needs. "However, it's administratively impossible to do it. It's chaos."

The group also suggested the city provide employees a secure parking area and create signs and brochures educating drivers on where to park and fee structures. It warned of a trend of 150 parking spaces lost during the past 17 years.

Among the other recommendations from the group, which began meeting in February:

Establish paid parking hours from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., at $1 an hour for premium spaces on Bay Street and 50 cents beyond.

Acquire the old Bank of America parking lot to create 80 spaces, reserving 40 for downtown employees.

Eventually add 500 spaces.

Reconfigure the marina lot to add more spaces and better manage large buses, staging them elsewhere.

Reserve parking in the marina for tour vans.

Keep the $10 parking fine the same, but consider a warning for first offenders, especially obvious out-of-towners.

Modify the city's development ordinance to require parking on all new development downtown.

Develop a regional transit system, working with Port Royal and Beaufort County.

Add more police patrols at night.

Representatives from Bridges Preparatory School said the 400 families who come to their school each day could use more parking when they head downtown to shop.

Panini's Thompson said he would support a parking garage but wondered about the logistics and cost to create a structure that would conform to the area.

Mayor Billy Keyserling suggested a work session at the end of the month for City Council to begin weighing a binder full of charts and numbers.

"We do have a lot to think about, for sure," Councilman Mike McFee said.

Follow reporter Stephen Fastenau at twitter.com/IPBG_Stephen.

Related content

• Beaufort's free parking concerns task force, May 21, 2015
• Main Street Beaufort contribution among cuts in city's budget proposal, June 9 2015

This story was originally published June 11, 2015 at 9:41 AM with the headline "Panel: Beaufort should stop offering free parking."