Grapevine mayor asks council to look at downtown parking solutions

Inadequate parking in downtown Grapevine is reaching a critical point that potentially could damage the city's revenue-producing central business district, Mayor William D. Tate told the City Council Tuesday.

At a pre-council workshop, Tate asked the council to return with ideas to deal with the problem. He suggested asking restaurants who want to locate downtown to show they can provide adequate parking.

The only significant parking in the district besides spaces along the street are lots built and maintained by the city.

Council member Darlene Freed said that would effectively ban restaurants from the district, and said she couldn't support allocating the public spaces to private businesses.

"If we don't do something, we may lose the historic Main Street," Tate said. "It's getting to be a crisis and the business all want some kind of resolution on this. We may lose it anyway — the value of the buildings on the tax rolls are going up so fast the mom and pop business can't make it anyway."

He also is concerned with the balance of business on Main Street. A large number of restaurants would shift most business toward the night hours, which council members agreed they don't want.

Tate asked the council to come back later with ideas.