SANFORD, Fla. – People complain downtown Sanford doesn’t have enough parking and on Monday night, Sanford city commissioners took one step toward changing that.
Commissioners voted unanimously for the option to tax downtown businesses and use that money to help pay for new parking developments.
Sanford Mayor Art Woodruff said he has received complaints about the lack of ample parking in convenient areas.
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“Last year we started looking at what are our options for improving parking downtown,” Woodruff said.
Bob Muller, a Sanford resident said you have to drive around a lot find a parking space, especially on the weekends.
“This weekend with the Christmas parade it was a mess, everybody was illegally parking,” Muller said.
Mayor Woodruff said the commission is considering adding more parking spaces, lots and possibly parking garages.
That’s something Muller doesn’t want to see downtown though.
“Parking garages, I’m afraid they’re [going to] start charging people and it’s a big concrete building, so it just doesn’t look great,” Muller said.
If the parking district tax is finalized down the line, businesses can expect to shove out some extra cash, but as of now the city hasn’t calculated how much each business would be charged.
Mayor Woodruff said it would be based on how large the business is, what its occupancy is and if the business already provides parking.
Businesses owners have differing opinions on this proposal.
“When it was first proposed one of our business owners that has several businesses said we’ll be glad to help pay for it were the ones that need the parking we’ll help pay for it. I talked to a nonprofit that runs something downtown it would be imposed on them too, they’re not so excited about it,” Woodruff said.
The commission will continue to discuss the parking assessment next year, before making any decisions.
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