MOUNT DORA, Fla – Mount Dora’s new mayor is wasting no time when it comes to addressing parking issues downtown.
In recent months Mount Dora has been focusing on parking solutions by bringing in “Freebee” a free shuttle service within the Community Redevelopment Agency boundaries to help people get around.
The city’s new mayor, James Homich, said because he promised to address issues downtown during his campaign it was important for him to get started on this.
A special meeting was held Monday night at city hall specifically dedicated to parking.
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“This was the first available time after the holidays, after my election, that really just set a meeting to get some action items going,” Mayor Homich said.
During the meeting, the mayor presented several possible action items to be considered.
The council pretty much agreed with the ideas that were presented and and gave the green light for the staff to go ahead and investigate, find out how much certain things will cost,” Homich said.
Some of the mayor’s ideas included creating a parking lot dedicated to golf carts and motorcycles and paid parking in certain areas.
“I mean the big controversy is going to be paid parking,” Homich said. “We want to investigate that and look at an app function type for parking to keep the spaces available for visitors and customers versus employees and office workers.”
Mount Dora is also home to some major festivals like the upcoming 50th annual Mount Dora Arts Festival and Scottish Highland Festival, which the mayor said can add a strain to the already limited parking.
“The churches, high schools, other places, kick in and help with the big festivals,” Homich said. “So it was more about just regular downtown visitors to come to the restaurants and the shops to try to make it more, more convenient.”
Small business owners in downtown Mount Dora are eager for parking solutions.
Richard Kluesener owns Gold in Art Jewelers and said he would support a parking garage.
“But the parking, if we had, like, another parking garage, that would be helpful,” Kluesener said.
Kluesener isn’t the only one who would support a parking garage. Ivy Parnasius, owner of Ivy Boutique, shared a similar sentiment.
“I would love to see a parking garage go in, in downtown Mount Dora,” Parnasius said. “I feel like it just gets busier and busier every year, and especially with more restaurants, dining options coming special events, we just need more parking down here.”
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