The Miami, Okla., City Council asked city administration and staff to put together recommendations for resolving downtown parking problems and to bring those recommendations before the council in the near future.
The action comes on the heels of a concerns raised by a local businessman who has worked to bring new business to downtown Miami.
Jamie Williams told council members Monday night that he felt obligated to fight for designated parking for downtown businesses.
“I have been dealing with this issue for two years and I am getting nowhere,” Williams said, noting that he raised his concerns with Miami Main Street Inc., the Miami Retail Council and city administration before bringing his issue before the council. “If you want to keep businesses down there, we have to figure this out.”
Parking that flanks Miami’s Main Street is limited to two hours but drivers often overstay their welcome, according to Williams.
Williams also said businesses take a big hit during evening events at the Coleman Theatre when audience members consume parking spaces along Main Street as well as behind stores, but at the same time a parking lot just north and west of the Coleman is not heavily used.
Additionally, lunch-time traffic to the handful of eating establishments downtown is hindered by parked cars that exceed the two-hour time limit — some staying late into the night, Williams said.
Williams wants the council to consider:
- Adding designated parking for businesses on Main Street.
- Changing the two-hour time limit to one hour
- Directing Coleman traffic to the underused parking area near the theatre.
