STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) -- Starting Tuesday, the Starkville Police Department will begin enforcing the two-hour parking limit in the downtown area.
Most of the streets downtown are already marked for two-hour parking, but law enforcement will now hold drivers to those limits and encourage them to use the free parking lots.
"We have had to go back and reimplement our two-hour parking enforcement to make sure we have a good turnover in the parking that is available, especially in our Main Street quarter," said Police Chief David Lindley.
The chief cited the growing population and commerce of Starkville as the main reasons for the stricter enforcement, but they are not the only reasons.
"One of the problems we consistently have are employees of the stores and some people who go in and stay a little too long for whatever reason. And we are going to try to encourage them by stepping up enforcement to go to these free areas. That way, we should have more space available for customers that come in," added Lindley.
"I think that it will help clear up the parking spaces [of people] who are just coming and parking and staying all day versus people who are coming to Main Street to shop," said Vanesha Williams, who owns BathBayou.
"I don't like it one bit. Actually, it's kind of discouraging because say you work downtown like I do. What do we do? I mean, what are you supposed to do?" said Jeremy Peterson of Starkville.
Parking spaces with the two-hour limits are in the following areas:
- Main Street from West Main to Jackson Street
- Washington Street from the courthouse to Lampkin Street
- Lafayette Street from Jefferson Street to Lampkin Street
- Jackson Street from Main Street to Lampkin Street
