DANVILLE, Va. (WSET) — Parking in Danville’s River District will soon come with a time limit as the city expands two-hour parking rules in an effort to increase turnover in downtown spaces, a change that is already drawing pushback from some workers and business owners.
Employees along Craghead Street said they worry the limits will make it harder to get to work and could leave customers feeling rushed.
“It’s one of the stupidest things Danville could have probably done,” said Britnee Matherly, who works at River City Florals.
Matherly said the new two-hour rule will apply on streets where she typically parks. “Yeah, and it’s ridiculous. I should not, as an employee trying to help the city of Danville, should not have to park my car 4 blocks down that way or hope and pray there’s an empty spot in the one parking garage we have trying to get to work,” she said.
A few doors down, Tanya Hilliard, owner of Zinc Total Salon, said the time limit could hurt businesses whose customers stay longer than two hours.
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“I know it’s going to be detrimental to our business,” Hilliard said.
Hilliard said many salon appointments exceed the new limit. “Most of our clients and guests are color guests and they are here for anywhere from 3 to 4 hours,” she said.
The closest long-term option is a parking garage across the street, but Hilliard and Matherly said it is full most of the time.
The city’s partner, Pivot Parking, said the change is needed, pointing to data showing more than 90 percent of downtown spaces are full most of the day. Pivot Parking said the two-hour limits will help keep cars moving.
Hilliard and Matherly said the city should consider other solutions. “I think they need to revisit the exemption of these private parking lots and have them have the same criteria as everybody else in the city,” Hilliard said, pointing to what she says is the root of the problem.
Matherly suggested additional parking capacity. “Since they are renovating all these empty buildings, they could potentially look into putting in another parking garage,” she said.
The two-hour limits are expected to roll out in early May. Tickets will start at $25. Pivot Parking said it will place warnings on car windshields at least two weeks ahead of time, so people know about the rule change.