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ADNA's Planning, Zoning and Land Use Committee has been studying
the issue of on-street parking Downtown. During the summer
of 2003, our members worked with Central Atlanta Progress
and local officials to survey the on-street parking situation
Downtown. The result is a parking map
and recommendations for on-street parking Downtown. We started
off with recommendations fo Fairlie-Poplar.
The ADNA believes that on-street parking is critical to
Downtown because it:
- Provides much-needed short term retail parking. Urban
retail needs street parking to make money.The consumer needs
to know that there is at least some chance of parking in
front of the store they wish to visit.The spot will likely
already be occupied,but as long as the consumer thinks it
might not be they'll try to visit.If the spot is in fact
occupied the consumer will look for a nearby spot or park
off street. The National Main Street Program goes as far
as to say that for each on-street parking space lost, income
to an adjacent business will be lost to the shopkeeper to
the tune of about $10,000 per year, even if off-street parking
is provided. Robert Gibbs, a urban retail expert says that,
in a context where off-street parking is not provided (such
as Downtown Atlanta) on-street parking generates $300,000
in annual retail sales.
- Calms traffic.
- Improves the pedestrian environment by buffering pedestrians
from moving cars.
Adjoinedly, we support meters because they:
- Discourage commuters from tying up valuable on-street
spaces during business hours.
- Provide revenue to the City
- Provide an alternative to paying parking lot fees for
short shopping trips.
Final Parking Map, Fairlie-Poplar
Click for Full Size Version
(2 MB)
For more information, find out more about our
committee or contact ADNA. |
