HomeMy Public PortalAbout1937_10_14 October 14, 1937
At an informal meeting held ' in the Council Chamber , at the
request- of Mayor Phillips , for the purpose of discussing the parking .
II situation in the Town of Leesburg , there were present ;
Lucas D. Phillips , Mayor; Louis T. Titus , Recorder; Roy M.
Flippo , Lawrence S. Hutchison, Louis C. Rollins , J. D. Taylor and
Joseph H. Turley, Councilmen and J.. 'S. Whitmore , Nels P. Nielsen, .
Harrison Williams , Dr. B. A. Brann; Roscoe B. Rhoads , George P. Hughes ;
T. Russell Potts , L. T. Frye , Thomas H. Spates ; C. R. Lytle , W. D.
Payne , J. F. Thompson, and Thomas Kivlighan Jr. , business men;
Mr. Williams : .
Discussed bus parking, transportation, franchise and
schedule of the Greyhound Bus Company. He pointed out that
the bus service rendered the citizens of Leesburg and Loud-
. oun_ County as a whole had been greatly reduced and that
nothing had been dine either by the Town of Leesburg or any
- of the towns through which the said bus coamany' s busses
travel. He also pointed out that the Town of Leesburg
allowed the Greyhound Bus Company the privelege of a res-
erved parking space on two of the corners of the town for
which the company has made no effort to show its appreciat-
ion to the town. Mr. Williams also stated that the bus
company did not furnish waiting rooms for the passengers
thus compelling them to wait out in the weather and up •
against the Loudoun National Bank building and in the
entrance to the same building. He also pointed out that the
il - schedule of the bus company had been greatly reduced and'
that competition with the Washington & Old Dominion Railway
Company was such as to not afford much travel facilities
• for the people of this and the surrounding communities.
Mr. Whitmore :
Discussed the parking problem and siggested that no drastic
changes be made in the present parking regulations now in
effect until there . could be sone effective substitute in
order not to antagonize the visiting public. He also stated
that he was in favor of a parking lot for the town as a wise
investment and thought that it would be a great help to the
parsing and traffic problems. Mr. Whitmore also Stated that
Leesburg is one of the finest of the smaller towns in the
• • State of Virginia and that we should do everything we can to
make the town better in every way and that by making parking
regulations that would be a benefit rather that a hinrance ,
• would make the town still better.
Mr. Nielsen: .
• Discussed the parking situation and stated that he thought
- that the truck traffic on King street was something that
should be considered. He pointed out that the Bread and Beer
trucks which made several stops within the same block could
I be asked and made to make other arrangements about their
blocking the traffic and double parking. He suggested that
these trucks make delivefies from only one stop within a
block: He also stated that he knew of several clerks and
employees of the local merchants that parked their cars on
the streets of the business district of the town on Sagurday
nights as soon as the one hour parking limit is off. He _
also suggested that the merchants consult their clerks and-
ask them to make other arrangements about parking their car ,
. at such busy times as Saturday nights so as to give the - '
visition public the privelege of parking near the business
area and allowing them a chance to park and do business with
their employers. Mr . Nielsen slao suRgested ,tbat the
merchants that have the merchandise aeeliverea in trucks ,
to have the truckers to make deliveries at en early hour
and to make such deliveries at the rear of the store where
possible. He also advocated a parking lot as a help to
relieve the parking sittation.
Mr. Hughes :
' Stated that there should be a safe place to park cars out
of the business district. He also stated that he thought
that a parking lot Would be a great help to releive the
parkink sutuation ; He also stated that he was in favor- of
a limited parking limit during business hours in the
business district and that the limit' should be one hour.
Mr. Williams :
Advocated that there should be a place to park cars
before the parking regulations , now in force , should be
changed. He suggested that the Fadley lot on West Loudoun
street , the lot in the rear of the Leesburg Inn or the
lot in the rear of the Leesburg Ice Company might be
taken over by the town to be used for parking lot: He also
stated that the Town has the right of eminent domain which
could be exercised in order to get the desired property
for the necessary lot.
Dr. Braun:
Suggested thet the present parking limit of one hour be
extended to the block between Market and Cornwall streets
as well as between the streets of Loudoun and Market. He
also suggested that there might be an alley made between
market and Loudoun streets in the rear of the stores for
the unloading of trucks. He stated that he thought that a
parking lot would do a great deal to releive the parking
condition on Bing Street as well as the other streets
in the business area.
Mr. Potts :
Thinks that trucks do _mmch to hinder the traffic in the
town. He advocated a parking lot and a parking_ limit .for
the business area.
Mr. Lytle:
Sighted the fact that the streets were narrow and that
trucks congested the traffic very much . He advocated a
guarded and lighted parking lot as an invitation to the
visiting .public to come to Lhesburg to do business.
Mr. Nielsen :
c-Suggested that the merchants call the truckers to task
about slow deliveries and that they were slowing up and
hindering traffic .
Mr. L. T. Fry:
Pointed out that the town should have a parking lot and
that the new bridge on Route lb at Point of Rocks would
soon be completed and that the traffic would be greatly
increased and that something shouldbe done as soon as
possible to be ready for the increased traffic. He also
stated that in other towns in the State where the traffic
conditions were holding tp the through traffic that the
state built its roads around the towns thts cutting off
a great deal of business fro ; its merchants.
Mr, Kivlighan :
Stated thet the Council should proceed with caution in
dealing with the parking and traffic situation and that the
contitions should be thoroughly studied and a campaign of
education should be conducted among the citizens of the
town in order to give the visiting public as well as the
citizens of the town the best advantage. He also stated that
the State Highway Commission would eventually build its
highways around the town if conditions were not satisfactory:
Dr. Brann :
Suggested a loading zone on the West side of King street
at a strategic point.
Mr. Williams :
Stated that the question of a parking lot had not had a
dissenting vote or remark about it , and that the com-
pletition of the bridge , as mentioned by Mr: Fry, would
make traffic much greater and that the diverting of the
highway around the town would do much to hurt business here.
Mayor Phillips :
Thanked the business men for coming out and expressing
the poiniotis on this vital question and that the meeting
with them had helped him and was sure that it had helped the
Council to get their ideas on the situation and hoped that
they would continue to show the&r interest by attending
the Council meetings and making suggestions at any time.
There being no further discussion , the meeting adjourned.
£c fin
Recorder