Columbus and Tryon are seeking better parking solutions for their downtown areas.
Tryon Town Council discussed solutions at its recent retreat and Columbus held a special meeting with businesses last week.
Each town has expressed concern with customers not having enough parking in front of businesses, mainly because employees of downtown businesses are taking up the spaces.
Tryon could consider one solution to its parking dilemna during a council meeting tonight at 7 p.m. Tryon council has proposed eliminating the towns two-hour parking limit and having employees downtown park off street.
One enforcement recommendation is to have downtown employees have a sticker or decal on their vehicle and they would get a ticket if they park on Main Street. Some people have raised concerns the sticker system would not allow those employees to park downtown at other businesses when they are not at work.
Columbus discussed similiar problems, but has not planned to ask businesses to voluntarily have their employees park off street.
Columbus had Isothermal Planning and Development (IPDC) conduct a survey of downtown parking and IPDCs Josh King agreed to do further studies.
Columbus discussed options for more parking, including available lots, each under an acre, for sale that could accomodate town parking. That solution is probably unlikely soon, officials said, because of the town’s budget situation.