parking
By David Walsh

PHOTO: If approved, a resolution will increase the parking limit along West Main Street in downtown Franklin from the current two hours to four. / Photo by John McBryde

By JOHN McBRYDE

On a night when Franklin aldermen will be voting on topics having to do with annexation, rezoning and even a referendum, the always controversial subject of parking is also being presented for their attention.

Like the proverbial bad penny, the issue of parking has surfaced once again and will be on the agenda of Tuesday’s Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting. Even though it affects a small portion of downtown Franklin, the resolution to establish a four-hour time limit on public parking on West Main Street between Fifth and Seventh avenues will get a second and final reading at the 7 p.m. meeting that in Franklin’s City Hall.

Aldermen tied 4-4 on the initial reading of the resolution Aug. 13, with Mayor Ken Moore casting the deciding vote in favor. If approved this time, the time limit for that stretch of downtown will double what it’s been the last couple of years. In July of last year, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved to establish a two-hour time limit on much of the public parking in the downtown area.

Alderman-at-Large Brandy Blanton and Alderman Dana McLendon, 2nd Ward, were the lone dissenters in the vote to cut parking limits from four to two hours.

“I’m going to support every four-hour ordinance that comes along, because I think it was a mistake to get away from it,” McLendon said during discussion of the West Main Street resolution at the board meeting two weeks ago.

Alderman Margaret Martin, 4th Ward, had heard from several business owners and office managers along that two-block stretch, voicing their frustration at the newly shortened time limits. She asked staff to draft an ordinance that would return the previous time limit for public parking, and then asked for an amendment to the resolution that would have no limits on parking. Her motion didn’t receive a second, so it didn’t come to a vote.

Also Tuesday night, aldermen will be asked to vote on a third and final reading to annex several properties located east and west of Lewisburg Park and north and south of the intersection at Stream Valley Boulevard, consisting of more than 318 acres in the Southbrooke PUD subdivision, and adjoining the city limits within the southern part of the Franklin urban growth boundary (UGB).

There will also be a vote on a resolution requesting a referendum for the annexation of several properties located south of Long Lane, east of Interstate 65, and outside of the southeastern part of the Franklin UGB.

The referendum would be only for those residents and owners of the 26 properties to be annexed and would be held on Oct. 22, in conjunction with the city of Franklin election scheduled for that day.

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