The Fayette County Board of Commissioners has a request from the city of Fayetteville about connecting their new street with Heritage Way at the library. The city is not keeping the old shop building that was used by students and by returning veterans after World War II. They plan to have an amphitheater and pavilion.
They need the library’s parking. The city never develops the appropriate number of parking spaces for any project. For example, their Veterans Park on Redwine Road has no parking. The Board of Commissioner allowed the city to install a crosswalk to connect with the county’s recreation parking lot.
The city accepted the May Harp Park on Jeff Davis Drive. It has no parking; to use the park you park at Flash Foods.
The city asked to install steps from Burks Square to the library parking lot for residents to access the library. They needed additional parking for Burks Square, and this was an easy fix.
The City Cafe, while it has great food, is lacking in adequate parking. The county had to threaten to tow the cafe’s employees who were parking in the Stonewall parking lot.
The city’s Jack Day Park has no parking. The parking surrounding it is all county property. When Main Street has downtown actives, they claim over 300 parking spaces. This includes Stonewall, the parking around Jack Day and Heritage Parks, the parking around the courthouse and 28 spaces at the old bank. The bank spaces will soon be lost to a new development.
In another city and county joint project the county donated the property for the Hollingsworth House to the city when the house was moved. The city later sold the house and property. The county did not have any conditions attached to the property, even though the county attorney asked about limiting a future sale.
The Friends of the Library Book Sale on Saturday filled all but 18 parking spaces when I counted at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning. The Blended Heritage Program fills the lot and the overflow uses the Stonewall lot. The library has many active programs including the summer reading program, which has different programs for various age groups; almost all come by car since the city street has no sidewalk.
The concept plan in the March 18, 2019 agenda package shows 17 parking spaces for the new pavilion and a crosswalk to the library parking lot. The new City Hall only has 70 parking spaces. The concept plans also show another future street that could impact the Library.
Fayette County and the library patrons would be better served if the city complex was not connected to the library parking by streets and sidewalks.
Tony V. Parrott
Fayetteville, Ga.
