Jul. 29—ASHLAND — The Ashland City Commission, boosters of all things downtown, saw a bit of backlash at Thursday's meeting from some business owners regarding parking and special events.

During the public participation portion of the meeting, small business owners Pauletta Wilson, of Lara's, Melvin Ward, of Melvin's Barbershop, and Sherry Wolfe, of the Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio, each expressed concerns about parking woes in downtown potentially killing business.

Wilson said she wanted to see special events like Firkin Fest, Poage Landing Days and First Fridays moved to the Riverfront, because when the special events are happening on Winchester Avenue, it prevents her patrons from coming to the store.

She said the issue is most customers don't want to park their cars several blocks away from her business and hoof it in.

"During that beer festival, we had two brides cancel that day and never reschedule, so we lost that business," Wilson said. "We don't get any off the street foot traffic. Most of the time, it's people coming in to ask for our bathroom or loitering trying to cool off."

City Commissioner Cheryl Spriggs, herself a former small business owner in downtown, said she made a lot of sales on First Fridays.

"Those were quick sales," Wilson said. "When somebody comes to us, they're typically there for two or three hours getting a dress fitted. They bring their families there, it's not quick."

Ward didn't take much issue with the events in downtown, but he did ask about parking enforcement. With the caveat that he understands the commission is working on it, he asked for ways to prevent folks from parking in front of his business all day long.

"I know that parking garage y'all are getting will help, but I have a lot of customers who are elderly and can't walk two or three blocks. I see some of these people are staying at the Delta, because I can see their ID cards hanging off their mirrors," Ward said.

Ward said the city taking over the Community Trust Bank garage will also help, too.

City Manager Mike Graese said they're currently looking at QR codes and kiosks to be set up in downtown for enforcement. City Attorney Jim Moore said enforcement was dealt a blow by the court systems, so they're currently working on figuring out a legal way to enforce parking without marking tires with yellow chalk.

"Enforcement is coming," Moore said. "It might not be tomorrow, it might not be next week, but it is coming."

Graese said COVID cutbacks caused parking enforcement to fall to the wayside for a few years, but monies have been budgeted to remedy it.

Commissioner Amanda Clark noted that the teardown of the Ashland Oil building, and a possible convention center/parking garage, could be the long-term fix.

"There's about 150 rooms at the Delta and only 80 parking spaces," she said. "A parking garage would fix that issue."

Clark also noted some small business owners are preventing their own employees from parking in front of their businesses, but are shifting the problem in front of another business.

Wolfe took particular issue with First Fridays, stating that while she is on Carter Avenue (which is not blocked off for the event, as Spriggs and Clark pointed out), she thought it should be shifted over to in front of the Highlands Museum away from Broadway Square, which was developed for downtown events.

"That end down there by the museum isn't really a business district," Wolfe said. "I love it and I think it's great that people are coming downtown for the vendors and the activities, but they're not there to shop in downtown."

Due to the closures of side streets like 15th Street, Wolfe said that's how it affects her business. She also said alternative parking areas like City National Bank also quickly fill up for eventgoers, taking spaces away from patrons.

In order to cope with it, Wolfe said she tried to do a sidewalk sale down at First Friday, but made no money. Instead, she's running products out to patrons who are in their cars idling, because they can't park.

"They might get their cosmetics but they don't come in and see what else we have to offer," Wolfe said. "With online shopping being the norm because of COVID, that's really killing us. We need people to come into our shops."

Clark said First Fridays were developed in order to get people downtown to shop at local businesses — she said she will consult with Ashland In Motion to see if there are any tweaks that can be done.

Mayor Matt Perkins thanked all the business owners for coming down and sharing their concerns. He said small business owners are always welcome in the commission chambers and that their businesses are the backbone of downtown.

(606) 326-2653 — henry@dailyindependent.com