By Sarah Richardson
At its April meeting on Tuesday, the Lewisburg City Council took up a proposed update to the city’s parking ordinance and considered a request to waive fees for a downtown parking lot project.
Mayor Beverley White read the first reading of Ordinance 328, which would amend Article 303 of the City Code related to the removal, impounding, and redemption of vehicles. The ordinance stems from a March 2024 Finance Committee discussion about adding 22 new two-hour parking limit signs and installing cameras at intersections along Washington Street.
“This will allow the Lewisburg Police Department to see when cars have been moved,” White said, noting that unmoved vehicles can interfere with street sweeping.
“It has taken two years, and a lot of work, to get to this ordinance,” she added.
The first reading passed 5-1, with Councilmember John Little voting against. A second reading is scheduled for the May meeting.
During the Finance Committee report, Councilmember Aron Seams said $37,378.50 had been recommended for the cameras and signage. Council approved the expenditure by the same 5-1 margin.
Following the vote, Councilmember Little said that when he moved to Lewisburg 24 years ago, he remembered the parking enforcement officer and ticketing system the City had, and how they ultimately did away it.
“In my view, spending nearly $40,000 to return to a system focused on ticketing is a misuse of taxpayer funds.” Little argued that the underlying issue is insufficient parking provided by landlords in downtown residential areas. “Shifting that responsibility onto the City is unfair to both the municipality and its citizens. That is the problem we should be addressing, not implementing a $40,000 surveillance system that will require ongoing monitoring and maintenance, and costs that are not included in this current estimate.”
In other news, Lewisburg Foundation President Tag Galyean approached members regarding a request to waive business and occupation tax and permit fees for their parking lot project at the True Value site. “We are spending in excess of $1 million dollars creating 29 well-landscaped parking spaces,” said Galyean. “The Lewisburg Foundation will be landscaping this with benches and trees, Court Street will look better than it ever has. It seemed appropriate to ask the City to waive the permit fees and B&O tax since we are doing this for a public parking lot.”
He explained that the project timeline is determined by the availability of funds, hence the delay from the demolition to now. They have been working with power and internet providers, and plan to start construction this September, leading to project completion in late spring or early summer of 2027.
“The money we would save could buy another bench, or plant more flowers at the entrance, it’s not an advantage to me or [the Foundation] … it’s just $10,000 I don’t have to raise from somebody else to make it look great,” Galyean explained.
Some project details:
• The Lewisburg Foundation is purchasing the land, with three annual payments remaining.
• All 29 spots will be first-come, first-serve.
• Phase I of the project has been put out to bid.
• B&O and permit fees are a one-time expense, so this would be a one-time waiver.
Councilmember John Little said that he was initially against approving the waiver, but after consideration, he believes that the value for the citizens and unique nature of the project warrants waiving the fees. Councilmember Paula Janiga recused herself from the vote.
“I think it’s easier to just vote no, and avoid the precedent,” said Councilmember Aron Seams.
“I don’t think there is a precedent,” City Manager Misty Hill replied, explaining that the Foundation’s request differs from say, a business owner requesting the same waivers for something like an awning replacement to their own storefront. “You’re not setting a precedent with approving this, because there is no personal property value going to be put with this, because it’s going to be donated toward a project for the city.”
Seams argued that as long as the parking lot is private property, the owners could decide to use it however they want. “Now, it is free and open parking, first-come, first-serve, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that will be the case in generations. My vote is no, because I don’t see it as being a proper thing to do with the people’s money,” said Seams.
Councilmember Valerie Pritt echoed similar statements, stating that while there may be no plans on the horizon to charge for parking or to assign spots, the Foundation could feel differently in the future. “Non-profits will always need money, when there is an easy revenue source, there’s an easy revenue source,” she said.
When it came to the vote, a waiver of fees up to $10,400 for the Foundation received an initial motion, but no second motion, and was not approved. The Foundation will need to pay both the B&O and permitting fees.
In other news, Mayor White also read proclamations for Children’s Memorial Flag Day and Arbor Day, and Councilmember Little stated that the Greenbrier Honda/Nissan site plan at 686 Jefferson Street N. was approved by the Planning Commission.
