Leesburg Limits Free Holiday Parking

Merchants Ask Town Council to Restore Downtown Promotion

Every holiday season since 2005, Leesburg officials have given a gift to the community: free parking in the town government's garage and at metered spaces downtown, from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.

It was a gesture that restaurateur Carrie Whitmer appreciated and often advertised to her patrons. "It's always nice to offer somebody something free," said Whitmer, who owns Lightfoot Restaurant on North King Street. "It's worked out great."

Until now.

The Town Council recently decided to cut back on the free holiday parking, and local merchants are fighting the change. From Wednesday through Jan. 2, downtown visitors will have no more than two hours of free parking at the metered spaces and in the town garage.

Whitmer, who is vice president of the Leesburg Downtown Business Association, has started a petition against the restrictions. She said that the two-hour time limit on free parking will discourage customers from visiting downtown stores and restaurants.

"We want our streets full," Whitmer said, adding that "in the holidays, people actually park for a longer time. Two hours isn't enough to have lunch and visit our stores."

The council approved the revised holiday parking policy in a 4 to 3 vote at its Nov. 12 meeting. In later interviews, council members who supported the change cited evidence that people had been abusing the free-parking promotion. A town study found that during the 2006 holiday season, 106 vehicles remained at metered spaces for up to several days. At least 21 of the vehicles were parked in the same spot for more than two weeks.

"Logic will tell you that these are not people who are there to shop in downtown Leesburg," said council member Kenneth Reid, who voted for the two-hour limit. "I'm really not interested in reliving this."

Council member Thomas S. Dunn II said he voted against the change only because some businesses had already mentioned the all-day free parking in their advertising and he did not think a last-minute switch would be fair. He said he is in favor of ending the promotion next year.

The free parking cost Leesburg $29,400 in lost revenue in 2006, according to the town study.

In the future, Dunn said, the town should consider varying parking rates for different locations throughout the year and using the revenue for infrastructure improvements.

Members of the Downtown Improvement Association agreed with Dunn, saying that the town should look beyond the holiday shopping promotion and that it should revaluate the parking system. The association, which is made up of Leesburg businesses, property owners and residents, has pushed for infrastructure upgrades for King Street and seven other downtown locations.

"Obviously, we think parking is a very important component of downtown revitalization," said Peter Burnett, a Leesburg lawyer and association member. "Christmas shopping is part of the bigger picture. Each community should custom-fit its parking strategies to their particular needs."

Whitmer said the business association was blindsided by the sudden move to a two-hour parking limit. "We were stunned that the council would make a decision without asking any of the businesses" for their input, she said.

The association has stopped promoting the offer of free all-day parking. But it is hoping the council will change its mind.

Some council members have said they might revisit the issue at their work session meeting tomorrow. Whitmer said business owners "are looking forward to council reversing this decision. It will be the best for everybody."