As the Bay booms, parking in Old Town has become an issue. Mayor Mike Favre shares info on the city's multiprong approach.
- story by Wendy Sullivan - photos by Wendy Sullivan and Ellis Anderson
Good News/Bad News The growing popularity of Bay St. Louis as a tourist destination has become a good news/bad news situation. Increased revenue and investment in the town has led to significant parking and traffic challenges in Old Town and on Beach Boulevard. Clearly, the parking challenges need to be addressed. In the past few years, several kerfuffles have taken place in the public arena of Facebook, from booting episodes in private lots to people having their cars boxed in after parking in unofficial spots. For the three large churches located in Old Town, maintaining accessible parking for senior and physically challenged parishioners has been an ongoing concern. Rev. Chris Klingenfus of the Main Street United Methodist Church noted that more members of the public seem to be using the church’s private spaces during programs and service hours. A review of City Council minutes over the past three years showed that despite parking often being raised as a topic for discussion, few detailed solutions have been agreed upon. An Interview with the Mayor The Shoofly Magazine interviewed Bay St. Louis Mayor Mike Favre last week, who confirmed that the city’s parking situation has become serious. He outlined the following issues and the city’s current plans to address them. On-street Parking
Free Court Street Parking Garage
Church Lots
Hotel Parking By ordinance, hotels in C1 Districts are not required to provide parking, but it is good practice.
As discussions evolve, steps are being considered towards these community concerns about parking challenges. Residents, parish members and businesses will want to attend the proposed city workshop on parking when it is scheduled. Look for details when available on the Shoofly Magazine’s Upcoming Events page or on our Community Calendar. Comments are closed.
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