Despite concerns raised by Little Five Points community leaders and a petition with nearly 2,000 signatures, days are numbered for the cost-free status of the eclectic neighborhood’s last unpaid parking lot, following a unanimous Atlanta City Council vote.

Business owners and L5P neighborhood heads fear the switch to paid parking could hurt businesses, further diminish patronage in the district, and leave visitors subject to surge pricing with outrageous rates. Supporters argue that paid parking hasn’t been a death knell for other Atlanta commercial hubs—and that it’s part of the maturation process in a growing city.

“As Atlanta grows, like other big cities, space becomes a premium, and free parking tends to give way to support other forms of transportation,” city councilmember Amir Farokhi, whose District 2 covers L5P, told Urbanize Atlanta. “And it’s within [property owners’] rights to charge someone to be on their property.”

According to the Little 5 Points Business Association, the tucked-away, alleyway lot in question has piecemeal ownership and is the district's last free parking option for visitors, locals, and employees. It’s situated off Euclid Avenue, behind longtime L5P businesses that include Criminal Records, Crystal Blue, The Porter, and dive bar Yacht Club, among others. It has served as parking since the 1950s, per the association.

Kelly Stocks, L5P Business Association president, led the charge to keep the lot cost-free, though she owns several parking spaces there. She points to the fact local governing boards such as NPU-N previously voted to deny a permit to allow for paid parking, and she decries the city council’s decision as being riddled with conflicts of interest. 

“I tried to be neutral when this first started, but when I saw that businesses unanimously did not support paid parking, I decided to speak out,” Stocks wrote via email. “Unfortunately, these efforts have been overshadowed by the influence of those advocating for paid parking and their political pull.”

General location of the L5P free parking lot in question off Euclid Avenue, at Inman Park's border. Google Maps

Breakdown of the parking lot spaces in question, behind Euclid Avenue businesses. Courtesy of Little 5 Points Business Association

The city council voted unanimously July 1 to grant parking company Park Place Parking a special use permit to manage the lot. There was no debate, which isn’t unusual for legislation that has sailed unanimously through the council’s zoning committee, as the parking lot matter did 6-0 in late June.

Farokhi, the councilmember, pointed to neighborhoods including Midtown, Inman Park, Virginia-Highland, and others along the BeltLine that have implemented similar parking measures without negative impacts on businesses. Inman Park, in fact, previously voted to support the paid parking permit in L5P.

“I go to Little Five Points fairly regularly and can’t think of the last time I paid for parking,” said Farokhi. “Paid parking in walkable, dense, commercial districts is good and progressive urban policy, and it’s not prevented retail success in other parts of the city. It’s a complement to a walkable, bikeable, transit-connected area like Little Five Points.”

Neighborhood leaders say the lot has been free for many decades, and as such, aligns with a L5P Mobility Study that was previously approved by the city council. A stream of through-traffic entering and exiting the lot also helps to act as a vehicle burglary deterrent, creating what the business association calls the safest parking lot in the district.

According to the association, “price gouging” of up to $25 at other L5P parking lots has triggered financial consequences for the district’s businesses, which have seen foot traffic and nightlife decline as customers spend more money to park that would have gone to local stores and restaurants.

Susana Chavez, Park Place’s executive vice president, said 45 spaces on the lot will be converted to paid parking, while 12 will remain free. Forty free monthly parking passes will be supplied to L5P employees, according to Chavez. (Stocks contends that amount of free passes is not enough.)

The tucked-away parking lot in question in winter 2021. Google Maps

Chavez expects to start charging for parking in late August or early September, following the completion of a number of improvements on the property and “one week when we are informing everyone this is now pay-to-park,” she said.

So how much? Chavez said to expect a combination of hourly and all-day parking rates, with $15 being the maximum for a daily rate.

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