The Norcross City Council gave final approval for about $3 million to construct 74 additional parking spaces in a wooded area on the northwest side of city hall on Nov. 2 after months of discussions.
Previous reporting and comments from city officials estimated about 65 new spaces will be added. Public Works Director Len Housley said the latest engineering shows the city’s public parking lot expanding from 67 to 141 spots after the roughly 12-month project.
“We’ve been in planning and engineering for over a year on this,” Housley said. “Council, you as a team, approved the concept and the plan, so we’re ready to get to construction.”
Resident opposition
In April, council members approved a budget of up to $2.8 million for the project’s construction. The builder’s contingency and additional contracts for construction management and materials/geotechnical testing drive the total cost to $3.06 million.
Since the budget approval, engineers have added another six parking spots. The project is expected to wrap up before the end of next year, after several months of delays.
While council members voted unanimously to approve the construction contracts, a few nearby residents spoke in opposition, citing loss of tree canopy and suggesting ride-share support instead of surface parking.
Wingo Street residents Lynn Ward and Tyne Willis, who live near the future parking, asked council members to table the item until after the special municipal election.
Norcross Tree Preservation Board Chair Charlotte Osborn said she is worried the city is “paving paradise” by removing mature trees between city hall and Wingo Street homes.
“This has been one of those unfortunate projects that have been promoted by only a few but objected to by many of our Norcross residents,” Osborn said. “Covering this lovely area around our city hall with pavement to squeeze as many parking spaces as possible is a very shortsighted and misdirected concept.”
Needed downtown parking
Council Member Andrew Hixson, who’s served since 2009, said he understands residents’ opposition to increasing surface parking and has fought parking in the past.
“I’ve been yelled at and told that parking is a problem, and parking is not a problem,” Hixson said. “As much as we may dislike surface parking, it’s much easier down the road to convert surface parking than it is to convert a parking deck.”
Hixson said there have been calls from downtown businesses and some community members for a parking deck, and the issue is complicated.
“I often hear ‘we’re paving paradise,'” Hixson said. “In some ways, that’s true, but we’re also putting in public spaces; we are planting trees, and ‘paradise’ isn’t just judged by the trees you have out there.”
The parking project includes new access points along Wingo and Jones streets, with a large plaza outside the city hall rotunda leading to downtown. According to site plans, newly planted trees are spread throughout the parking lot.
Main Street program
On the consent agenda, elected officials approved an application for state certification as a Georgia Main Street community.
The program is administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and supports the revitalization and economic vitality of historic downtowns. Through economic vitality, organization, promotion, and design, the program helps communities strengthen local businesses, preserve historic assets, encourage private investment, and enhance tourism, according to a city memo.
The program requires a start-up phase of at least one year. If selected, the city must enter into a start-up agreement, obtain national membership, and complete required training. Downtown Manager Stephanie Newton already serves in a role that the program requires.
If accepted, staff will request to establish a Georgia Main Street Board of Directors of business owners and community members.
