Downtown parking shortages present a recurring problem, according to downtown merchants and professionals. I would recommend a professional study of current existing parking spaces and projected needs. Large parking areas could destroy the fabric of our downtown visually. Carefully planned small parking venues placed at strategic locations throughout the city could enhance instead of detract from the beauty of Tupelo's downtown. When, or if, the city provides parking lots, they should be appropriately landscaped and not an unsightly sea of asphalt.
Parking garages use an excessive amount of property to be effective.
They are costly and as such, I do not believe parking garages to be a good solution to downtown parking needs. We need to carefully study the trends of current and emerging types of commerce to ascertain which industries would best fit our business climate and our labor resources. We must maintain a stable track record and continue to offer creative incentives for business and industry to locate in this area. This would also boost population growth, increase tax revenue and cash flow to the businesses in our community. All Rights Reserved.