Petersburg eyeing location for first parking deck once Parking Authority bill gets governor’s signature

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- Petersburg is one step closer to solving its parking problem.

The Petersburg Parking Authority bill passed through the senate this week, the last roadblock to get to Governor Abigail Spanberger's desk. Petersburg officials said a parking study is already underway, and they're looking to build a parking deck as part of the city's new court complex in downtown.

HB1448 will give city council the ability to establish the Petersburg Parking Authority, with the power to build and operate off-street parking structures like parking decks.

Delegate Kimberly Pope Adams sponsored the bill, which says the current parking situation in parts of the city is a public nuisance.

"I was hearing it from not only residents, but residents, government officials and business owners because they want the tourism," Pope Adams said. "But there just wasn't enough on-street parking. So when they came to me to discuss solutions we thought that this was a great first step to get the process moving so we can provide more options for the community."

Business owners agree, and said more parking is needed to keep up with growth around Petersburg. That includes the new temporary Live! Casino that opened in January, and the new courthouse complex set to open in 2027.

A city spokesperson said a parking deck for that complex has been discussed. It would be on a nearby lot owned by the city. They say a comprehensive parking study is underway, expected to be finished by summer.

That spokesperson said in statement in part, "As Petersburg continues to grow, especially in the Downtown area, and as more residents and businesses choose to live and work here, the need for parking increases. The City's goal is to ensure that businesses have convenient parking to support their customers and operations."

"What I would love to see is increased tourism," Pope Adams said. "Because we are preparing ourselves to allow even more tourists to come and visit our historic city."

Some residents have expressed concerns that the new authority will change the free parking that's currently offered in downtown. The city's statement said, "Although some might assume this will automatically result in paid street parking, which is common in many cities, this is not necessarily the case."

The city also said there is not a cost range at this time for parking in the new decks.

City council will need to appoint members to the parking authority. As the bill still needs the governor's signature, and wouldn't take effect until July 1, the council does not yet have a timeline for those appointments.