Parking Enforcement For Benton City
Daddyo's Pizzeria owner Honda Johnson is doing what she does best- running one of her two small businesses in downtown Benton City.
She says like many other business owners in town shes on a tight budget- and added expenses arent easy to pay for.
"People that are coming in to Benton City or small business owners don't have a lot of money to invest- they don't have a lot of money to pave parking lots.
At a meeting last night the city council decided to enforce a parking regulation that was put on the books in 2003 but never enforced.
Codes would only apply to new businesses coming into the city and those businesses would have to supply an off site parking lot for customers.
Benton city officials say the ordinances have been around for years -- and now, with business booming- they need to enforce them.
"We have just now had new businesses coming into town- new businesses coming and its a good thing it means we are growing and its a positive thing," says Lloyd Canahan.
But shoppers disagree- saying it's all about convenience-
"It sounds like a lot of fooling around- its doesn't make any sense," says Margie Moore.
"If we have off site parking it is more room for people but its also an inconvenience," says Dakota Renz.
Over the last few years Honda Johnson has seen the vacant signs turn into open signs- but says too many rules could scare new business away
" As long as they know up front I think it will be okay but if they are gonna come in here and just rent or buy a building without doing their homework then they are gonna get frustrated and it will deter them from coming into the city."
The mayor says he reserves the right to make changes to the policy.