mitzi
Well-Known Member
It's not really a ton. Visitors fill up the parking lot of the apartment building across from the Courthouse. Any big event or busy court days. The people that live there can't even leave and come back to a parking space.
Big fire in Leonardtown
- Thread starter jazz lady
- Start date
It's not really a ton. Visitors fill up the parking lot of the apartment building across from the Courthouse. Any big event or busy court days. The people that live there can't even leave and come back to a parking space.
mitzi
Well-Known Member
I don't think that's the problem. Most of those business's have a small area behind the building that employees can park. Are you suggesting metered parking? That isn't going to work for people who actually live here.
luvmygdaughters
Well-Known Member
Do you mean the courthouse parking lot? I suppose that's open to the public on the weekends. I think theres parking behind the Front Porch too. But, if you're going to SOF, its a bit of a hike, especially in the summer and walking uphill. I suppose you could park at the college too, but again, a hike. Maybe SOF should consider buying a bus and hiring a driver, make a loop of Leonardtown, say every 20 minutes. I know this really, nice, retired, senior citizen who would be great for the job. Not too mention, it would get him out my hair for a while on the weekends,
but thats another story!No. I am suggesting an unmetered time limit. Meter maid makes the rounds and marks down the cars using a license plate reader. If someone stays more than 90min they get a small ticket. Works like a charm and benefits the downtown businesses by keeping streetside parking available for their customers. The worst thing you can do for a downtown is to introduce metered parking. That kind of greed has destroyed many downtown business districts.
luvmygdaughters
Well-Known Member
I dont see that working in Leonardtown, too many restaurants and bars. Between the Rex, the Pub, the Front Porch, The Speak Easy, the new mexican restaurant, you could actually spend more than 90 minutes if you hopping from place to the other. I think the town should have parking by the wharf and run a shuttle bus, also, that nasty building that used to be Penny's, on Rt. 5, that could be torn down and a parking lot put in there. I also saw there is storage facility going in across from that housing development on Rt. 245, could have used that for a parking lot. As I stated before, more homes, businesses, but nothing as far as infrastructure goes.
homedepot20
Well-Known Member
She died 30 years ago , so you didn't leave in Leonardtown then
Isn't that where a new rental storage facility is planning to go?
luvmygdaughters
Well-Known Member
I thought the rental/storage was on 245.
Thanks for clarifying. All I remember was someone from LT complaining about using prime town real estate for a rental storage facility.
If you do a bar-crawl, maybe you shouldn't be driving yourself. The great majority of customers to typical downtown businesses spend less than 90 minutes parked. If you restrict streetside parking in that manner, there is a market for privately run parking lots around downtown that can cater to those who need to park the entire day because they have business at the courthouse or go to work. I hear there is now an open lot behind the firehouse, someone could level it and put an automated parking facility on there.
It would be a giant waste of money and nobody would use it.
mitzi
Well-Known Member
This isn't Metropolis, it's downtown Leonardtown. The town you can drive thru in 3 minutes. The town is not going to create a new position for a Meter Maid. The only time parking is a problem around the Square is during special events (or heavy court days). This is when it spills over into the neighborhoods. Maybe now on the weekends since SOF opened. Going thru during the day, you can always find a parking spot and in the evenings, no problem at all. SOF closes at 7:00. Where do you propose privately run parking lots would be? And as the other poster said, parking in the Square area to go to SOF is too far of a walk. The idea situation would be for SOF to purchase or lease the property where the building burnt down yesterday and make that a parking lot for their businesses. Also, those that come into town for events, SOF, whatever need to have some common sense and courtesy and NOT block people's driveways or park directly in front of someone's house who obviously needs to park there when they return home. They think they're entitled to park anywhere. I've seen them park in areas where there's "No Parking, Violators will be towed" signs. Real nice to return your car with tired, whiny kids after the Beach Party or the Christmas on the Square to have your mini van gone. They deserved it. The town does run shuttles for that and the people STILL park wherever they feel they can.
mitzi
Well-Known Member
I'm curious to see what started it.
mitzi
Well-Known Member
I had wondered if it had electricity, it's been vacant for decades.
Insurance is what causes fire in a vacant building.
From what I have heard, and it is all hearsay at this point, the owner had a habit of burning rubbish such as boxes outside but very close to the building. As old and decrepit as that building was, it wouldn't take much for it to catch on fire and burn uncontrollably.
mitzi
Well-Known Member
I read that too.