Magnolia residents could see significant improvements regarding mobility and aesthetics in the downtown area if a new parking study comes to fruition in the near future.
"Parking in the old part of town is probably the No. 1 issue and constraint for developing businesses," said Frank Parker, chairman of the Magnolia Planning and Zoning Commission. "Hopefully when we get through the construction phase [of FM 1774 in spring 2015], people will have a much better idea of what can be done and what the potential is for growth in the downtown area."
After an Oct. 30 presentation by the Planning and Zoning Commission, city council members adopted the downtown parking plan at their Nov. 11 regular meeting. The plan recommends the addition of a number of parking spaces, bike racks and possible sidewalks as well as utility and lighting improvements and beautification projects along seven roadways in the downtown area.
Improving mobility
The plan outlines an estimated 50 feet of unused right of way along Eighth (Clepper), Seventh (Gayle), Sixth, RL Butler and Betty Hall streets to accommodate the addition of parking spaces on both sides along with two-way traffic lanes in the middle, Structural Engineering Inc. President Chris Hillman said. Structural Engineering was tasked with designing the downtown parking plan in fall 2014 and will help carry out the engineering process in the near future once a funding mechanism for the project is secured, he said.
As it stands, there is limited or no existing parking allotted along several of the downtown streets, and the plan is designed to make the area much more pedestrian friendly, Hillman said.
"The dimension plan—which is a 50-foot wide distance—allows for two-way traffic and diagonal parking with a 13-foot depth on each side and 9-foot stalls [that] should [provide adequate space] for parking," Hillman said.
In addition, an estimated 25 feet of unused right of way is projected for Yon Street and 90 feet of right of way is planned for parking improvements on Sanders Street. The total amount of parking spaces to be added through the implementation of the plan is yet to be determined and will be identified as engineering plans move further along within the next year, he said.
"There will be a little bit of parallel parking on Main Street, but what we're looking at is developing additional parking on the [downtown] side streets that will allow people to turn the corner and park and visit whatever business they need to," Magnolia City Administrator Paul Mendes said.
Construction costs
City officials estimate the cost of the project could total anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 to upward of $1 million depending on the number of construction improvements that are approved in the final engineering plan.
"I don't see the city itself investing a dramatic amount of money into [implementing the downtown parking plan]," Parker said. "There's just not a lot of excess dollars around right now."
The city anticipates using sales tax from future business growth to fund the downtown improvements in the near future and may have the ability to allocate money for the project in the 2015–16 budget, Mendes said.
"When the city starts growing and more businesses come in, there will be more sales tax moving, and there's going to be funds available for [the downtown improvements]," Mendes said. "We have to do what we can planning for the growth of the city with whatever we can [afford] financially until we start getting more of the businesses in, then it will start paying for itself."
