TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – A dozen business owners on Fourth Avenue gathered to call on the city to address what they say are growing concerns along the district, specifically with parking.
Maria Mazon is the owner of Boca. She led the meeting today.
“4th avenue is slowly disappearing and all because of parking,” Mazon said.
She says a two-hour parking limit and a change to paid meter hours among other things is causing her business to lose customers.
A dozen business owners on Fourth Avenue gathered to call on the city to address what they say are growing concerns along the district, specifically with parking.
“People that are making the sacrifice to go out, to treat their families to go out and have a good time, they are punishing them. You only have two hours, enjoy your 2 hours then get the heck out. That’s not how you run a business,” Mazon said.
Micah Blatt, the owner of Mr Head’s Bar, has heard similar concerns.
“We hear a lot of complaints about the meters not working or the apps not working. I think that gets frustrating for people,” Blatt said.
According to the city, without time limits and paid parking, there’s little turnover in cars coming and going. They say that would could mean employees can park in convenient spaces for longer periods of time leaving fewer spaces for the customers.
Right now the city says there are 137 meters along the stretch of Fourth Avenue. 61 of them are currently inoperable for coin payments, leaving drivers to pay through an app or by text.
“I think the solution is that the city should invest in 4th avenue. They should get some sort of parking, there’s places that can have some sort of benefit agreement with some other business like some of the big apartment buildings they’ve built for some local parking during business hours,” Blatt said.
Despite business owners’ frustrations, they say they just want to preserve what makes Fourth Avenue special.
“Tucson is my home. So let’s save the oldest avenue in town,” Mazon said.
Business owners say they want to work with the city to find solutions together. The city of Tucson says they plan to reach out to Mazon this week, but Mazon said she hasn’t heard from them yet.