Georgetown considering changing Front Street parking method

GEORGETOWN S.C. (WCBD)– City leaders in the Historic District Waterfront are working on a plan to control parking on Front Street.

City officials in Georgetown are working to implement a new parking measure to allow visitors to feel more comfortable when spending time on Front Street.

During a city budget retreat Thursday, Georgetown’s Main Street director said he felt like the 2-hour parking was not enough time for visitors to receive the true Georgetown experience and that visitors did not deserve to receive penalties for overstaying their welcome.

According to the Georgetown Police Department, since January, officers have issued about 150 parking tickets on Front Street for visitors going past the 2-hour mark or visitors parking illegally.

One resident who lives outside the city said he’s happy about the proposal and hopes leaders will implement it. He said the limited spaces can sometimes be frustrating.

“I stay out in the country, but now when I do come to town, you do have issues on Front Street if you want to get a certain parking place in some areas, but I would say yes, it is crowded,” said Eddie Goins.

Leaders said the focus of this proposal is to serve the people in the community, and they hope that extending the time frame or implementing paid parking services will allow visitors to enjoy more time in the area.

“I think it allows the people that want to come to Front Street to do everything that we have to offer to make their decision how long we’re going to stay how much we’re going to do, how much time we’re going to spend down here, and I think that’s the biggest benefit of it right now,” said Joseph.

Officials said the proposal is still in the early phase, and they will have a public workshop in the coming months to get community input.