- A local property owner says it's time to address downtown parking amid drivers parking on her private property and leaving trash behind.
- Area leaders are working to identify areas that need additional parking spaces.
- Watch the story to hear from one of those business owners and learn what leaders are doing about the issue.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
As Downtown Bainbridge continues to see economic growth, a few property owners are saying it's time to create more parking lots.
"We'll have 60-80 cars here with that unfortunately comes a whole bunch of trash,” local property owner, Marguerite Jackson.
She and her husband have owned a building on North West Street since 2017.
"We could have moved anywhere in the state but we chose Bainbridge,” said Jackson.
Jackson said despite the lack of parking she's frankly fed up with drivers parking on their private property and leaving their trash behind.
"I've found used condoms. I've found used tampons. I've found human feces in the corner of the Willis building,” according to Jackson.
Jackson said the trash is connected to a social club nearby.
Anthony and Demetrius Stubbs run Off the Hookah Lounge and cigars. I reached out to them for comments three times since last week and I'm still waiting to hear back. But, during a recent city council meeting Demetrius explained they're working to resolve the issues.
"From the start we have tried to correct.. Someone has complained to us about parking in their area across the street. So we roped off their area,” said Demetrius.
He goes on to say his company has invested big when it comes to paying staff to clean and even patrol areas near his business.
"We have security, off duty police officers that work our security. We pay probably $2,000 a week in security,” said Demetrius.
Jackson told me these efforts have only fixed about 50 percent of the problem.
The growing conflict sheds light on a bigger issue: the need for another parking lot downtown.
"I would hope that the city is able to secure more downtown parking,” said Jackson.
Community & Economic Development Director Steve O'Neil sent a statement reading in quote,
"The City of Bainbridge has worked diligently to provide public parking both on-street and off-street in the downtown. We are currently conducting a survey of downtown business owners regarding their views on parking downtown."
As far as a timeline for when that will happen, city officials have not said.
In the meantime Jackson says considering relocating.
I plan to continue tracking the city's efforts to create more accessible parking downtown.
