Diana Welch, owner of both the Grey Fox Grille & Public House and the Golden Fleece Tavern in downtown Dover, has a lot invested into making sure the Loockerman Street corridor continues to attract shoppers and those looking to grab a bite. Those investments are why she is so adamant about slowing down Downtown Dover Partnership’s plan to bring metered parking to the area as early as January. Ms. Welch sent an email to the city Saturday, requesting to get on a City Council meeting agenda at the earliest opportunity to oppose proposed parking meters downtown. She said she is not alone in her opposition, as a petition she put out regarding the issue received 384 signatures, including several store owners, in its first 20 hours.
- So I assume there is no solution to this parking problem. — Benjamin Black
- Tons of solutions. They are only interested in squeezing every last dime out of people, though. — Sharon Lee Ponsell
- There is nothing downtown worth the price of paying for parking. And I am sure as heck not going to pay so the panhandlers can harass me. — Ronnie Ponde
- Every city has parking meters. Even towns with only 20,000 people. — John Smith
- They can install it at Legislative Hall instead of those fancy signs. — Sharon Lee Ponsell
- With Dover, the meter policy is stupid. It’s hard enough to find good, safe and close parking! Downtown Dover should feel lucky folks even go there! — Howard Gaines III
- I would never park or go to downtown Dover again if meters are put in. — Gabe Percich
- I wouldn’t go into downtown Dover if they have meters or not. — Charlie Harper
- Instead of meters, why not clean up the area, so people will come downtown? I know so many people who have been harassed downtown, so they will not go back. — Tim Preuss
- I couldn’t agree more with you. This has been a major problem for the past 10-20 years, but no one has the courage to stand up and address the problem. Slum landlords in violation of city codes are allowed to rent properties. Street-level commercial properties allowed to be empty for years. And the city management does nothing. The brilliant solution: parking meters! I wonder how much money they paid an outside consulting firm to come up with that answer. — Diane Duerr Partridge
- Build a parking garage, and it would be reasonable to charge. Right now, in this economy, putting in parking meters would be like drawing blood from a stone. The people working in Dover downtown are actually keeping some businesses afloat. — April Murray
- An idea: Imagine downtown Dover with walkers only. The restaurants and shops with sidewalk accessibility. The city prioritizes safety throughout the area. Parking is near but off-site. Patrons use the streets as walking areas and allow room for emergency access. A very minimal cost to the city but an area that caters to the family. — Mark Pugh
- Didn’t downtown Wilmington do that? Let’s check how that worked out for them. I am attracted to the stores and restaurants in downtown. When I go there, I want to be safe and see a clean area. Unfortunately, when I go to downtown, I’m always looking over my shoulder and thinking about how fast I can get to my destination. I suggest relocating the liquor store on Bradford, add more cameras and increase police officers walking the area. The flowers in containers are a beautiful addition. — Patricia McDaniel Foltz
- If you want to make it look like a business-friendly area, get rid of the trees blocking every business’s sign. The city’s sign ordinance needs to be updated from the 1600s. Who can even tell what’s on Loockerman anymore? — Eric Howlett
- I’ll definitely be steering clear of downtown Dover if meters are put in. — Calli Stubbs
