Plain City officials are working with local business owners to expand parking options in the village Uptown area.
At a recent meeting, Village Administrator Nathan Cahall said he is working with the owners of Buckeye Brass and Winds on North Chillicothe Street and Lovejoy Plaza on West Main Street. The businesses share a parking lot behind the buildings.
Mayor Darrin Lane said an agreement could be a win-win for the village and for the owners of the parking lot. He said the parking lot has fallen into disrepair. He said some visitors to the Uptown are already using the parking lot, adding to the deterioration, but not compensating the lot owners.
He said the village could repair the lots and keep them plowed and in usable condition.
“That’s a big burden on somebody who owns the property,” Lane said.
Lane said the village has reached out to “a couple other” property owners in the uptown to discuss additional parking options.
“We have the opportunity to look at and learn from the mistakes of places like Dublin and Powell,” Lane said.
He explained that those communities developed retail and other options in the town center, but parking was “kind of an afterthought.”
“I’ve seen a lot of communities that put a lot of stuff in and don’t think about the parking,” Lane said.
He said it is “a chicken and egg thing” — whether a community needs parking first to grow business or business first to support village parking infrastructure — but in the end a community needs both. The mayor said village officials are working to bring more retail to the Uptown but until it comes, he wants to work on parking so it is there when the business comes.
“I think and hope Plain City is moving in that direction where we will need plenty of parking for the Uptown,” Lane said.
He said that with the addition of Tavern 161, Ol’ 42 Grub House and other businesses, the Uptown is staring to come alive.
“Drive through on a Friday night and there are people out. There are lights on in the Uptown. It’s not just dark windows anymore,” Lane said.
Jason Shumway, owner of Tavern 161, has for several years encouraged village council to address parking concerns. He said he is working to bring live entertainment to his restaurant. He said he needs the special events for his business, but the village does not have adequate parking to accommodate the customers that come.
Lane said the addition of appropriate parking will help draw customers as well as new businesses.
He said that once the village has an agreement to use the lot, there are plans to not just repair it, but to create better access for vehicles and pedestrians. He said the village would consider closing one ally access and allowing only foot traffic.
“We think this is an opportuniuty to make it safer for everyone,” Lane said.
Village officials said they hope to have agreements in place soon so they can incorporate appropriate repairs, closures, crosswalks, signals and signage as part of the Route 161 repaving project for 2019.
“Logistically, this just makes sense for Plain City and the timing just makes sense,” Lane said.
Lane said it is important for the village to do what it can do, when it can.
“Smart growth, that’s what we hope to have,” Lane said. “I have always tried to be proactive, not reactive. This is just something we think will help revitalize the Uptown.”