CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville City Council will soon consider proposed changes to the city’s parking ordinance, which includes abolishing the Clarksville Parking Commission and moving parking enforcement under the purview of the city’s police department.

The sponsor of the ordinance, City Councilman Joe Shakeenab, is set to bring forth the proposed changes to the City Council on Thursday, May 28.

According to a news release sent to Clarksville Now, the idea behind the proposed changes to the parking ordinance are being brought forward to better regulate downtown Clarksville parking, expand the focus of parking management, while emphasizing safety and security.

“We need clear protocols and stronger enforcement. We owe this to our citizens, travelers, and our businesses,” Shakeenab said in the release. “We determined that an ordinance addressing parking, and transferring enforcement functions to the Clarksville Police Department, is the best solution. With this change, the city will transfer some of the Parking Commission funds to the Clarksville Police Department.

“Additionally, the Parking Commission will dissolve. Unpaid violations previously reviewed by the Parking Commission will now go to the City Court,” Shakeenab said.

History behind City of Clarksville parking management

The news release said that in early 2014, the responsibility for parking management in Clarksville shifted from a Parking Authority to a then-established Parking Commission.

“At that time, the city’s parking ordinance primarily focused on the downtown area, where there were no events or competing parking providers. The ordinance granted the commission authority to resolve parking disputes and manage the parking rate structure,” the release said.

However, the Parking Commission has reportedly faced consistent challenges since with balancing the need for convenient parking, appropriate fee structures, enforcement, financial sustainability, and compliance with state parking laws.

“These challenges were compounded by the fact that parking operations were managed as an enterprise fund, which made decision-making particularly complex. In response to these complexities, a newly proposed ordinance was developed. Similar to trends in other Tennessee cities, Clarksville seeks to transition Parking management from an enterprise fund to the City’s general fund,” said the release.

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