The parking lot behind Euclid Ave is the last free parking option available to Little 5 Points employees, locals and visitors. It serves as a crucial asset to the L5P community. Because it remains secluded, it has become a sanctuary for employees and locals who would otherwise have to pay absurd amounts to park or invade the neighborhood streets. Thanks to traffic going in and out of the back lot, it is also L5P's safest parking lot. Introducing paid parking in this lot would set off negative ripple effects throughout L5P and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Other paid lots in L5P are already inflicting dire financial consequences on the struggling small businesses. If the last free lot turns into a paid one, small businesses will be devastated. For two years, L5P businesses have expressed their willingness to take over the management of the parking lot, offering a solution that prioritizes the interests of the community over profit. The decision to hand over control to a parking lot company, however, disregards the businesses genuine efforts to contribute to L5P's well-being.
Everyone in Little 5 Points is fully committed to improving the lot behind Euclid Ave, but not at the expense of our struggling small businesses!
On April 25, 2024, NPU-N Voted to deny paid parking—6 against paid parking, 1 for it, and 2 abstentions. The L5P Business Association also voted to deny paid parking.
PAID PARKING IS NOT SAFER OR CLEANER
Property owners are preying on neighbors, leading them to believe that paid parking will make the lot safer. NOT TRUE!
According to APD's crime statistics, the other lot managed by the same parking company, behind 7Stages, had EIGHT TIMES MORE BREAK-INS in 2023.
The parking management company said there will never be an attendant or security in this lot.
The parking management company has said they will use the profits from the lot to fund improvements; however, the other lot they manage is littered with potholes and trash.
PAID PARKING HAS ALREADY CAUSED FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES FOR L5P SMALL BUSINESSES
Paid parking has caused our nightlife to decline and has reduced overall foot traffic.
It puts L5P at a competitive disadvantage
It creates perception of inconvenience
It has negatively affected the economic health of the community
Customers spend their money parking Instead of in stores.
Parking has gone up to $25 during peak times. Ponce City Market charges $10 for 8 hours and $15 for overnight
FREE lot is always full!
THIS WILL CAUSE A RIPPLE EFFECT ON NEIGHBORING PARKING
Customers will go to Candler and Inman Park neighborhoods to find free parking. These neighborhoods are already maxed out with parking.
There will be customer confusion with Porter, Southern Star and Crystal Blue not charging
There is allready confusion with different rules at other businesses and different permit parking rules in Inman Park
BUSINESSES have offered to manage the parking lot FOR 2 YEARS
Paid lot sits empty during the day because there is a charge. Taken during the week around 2pm.
There's no such thing as a 'free' parking lot. Somebody is paying for it. Probably the property owners and businesses that front it. Somebody's paying for maintenance, taxes, property management, security, garbage control..... It's NOT free. The idea that they might offset the cost associated with providing the parking isn't outrageous.
The other option is to include the costs associated with that parking lot in the rental agreement with the businesses that front that parking lot. That might make it unaffordable for them to stay there.
I'd be cool if the parking lot was used exclusively by employees of businesses in L5P. But the question remains, who pays for it?