PARKING, PARKING, PARKING
City leaders tackle Cedar Street and downtown Lincolnton

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- City residents can no longer park on Carter Street effective when the "No Parking" signs go up.

Lincolnton City Council made the decision Thursday night after hearing from Lincolnton Police chief Dean Abernathy, who said the request came from neighbors on Carter Street. The "No Parking" effects residents from Cedar to Kissler Streets.

"After I received the neighbors' petition, I went down to look at the street," said Abernathy. "The road is very narrow and there's no way an ambulance and fire truck could get through if there's a car parked on either side of the street."

Almost all of the residents signed the petition according to Chief Abernathy.

"There's a parking problem there," said Abernathy. "In some places, a car may take up almost the whole road."

Cars also can't make a right turn onto Carter Street from Cedar Street if a vehicle is parked at the top of Carter; cars can't also get out of the driveways if cars are parked along the road at the dead end.

The city council unanimously approved the request.

Later in the meeting, the issue of downtown parking came up when Lincolnton Mayor David Black brought up the suggestion that a voucher system be initiated to give shoppers downtown more time than two hours.

"People go around and shop for hours and then come back to their vehicles to find parking tickets," said Black. "Maybe we could have a system to avoid that."

Chief Abernathy was consulted on the issue.

"Everywhere I've seen two hour parking, that's been the law," said Abernathy.

Council members said while the voucher system was a good idea, there isn't any way to validate who is actually using the vouchers.

By state law -- and according to one of many signs clearly posted downtown -- after being parked in the same space for two hours, a $20 parking ticket is placed on the windshield of the vehicle.

Abernathy said since the fines were raised to $20, the number of violators have decreased. However, Abernathy said not everyone is getting the message.

"There is still a parking issue downtown," said Abernathy. "It's not as prevelent as in the past. We should continue the enforcement we're doing downtown."