Weaverville Holds Off on Florida Avenue Plaza, Alley Fire Lane

Weaverville staff pitched two ideas at a packed Sept. 14, 2026 workshop: closing a block of Florida Avenue for public outdoor dining, and ending travel-lane parking in Merchants Alley. Merchants, residents and property owners pushed back on both. The Town Council took no vote, called direction premature, and began shaping a stakeholder task force as downtown braces for growth.

---

• Florida Avenue dining plaza splits residents over safety, visibility and access rights
• Staff recommends a no-through-traffic fire lane for Merchants Alley; merchants defend parking
• Speakers call alley fixes a "band-aid," urging parking garages before growth hits
• Employee safety on dark walks to church lots becomes a flashpoint
• No direction given; council eyes a business-police-fire task force, with a possible return Sept. 28

---

Florida Avenue Plaza Idea Divides Downtown

The basics: Florida Avenue's block from Main Street to Merchants Alley is one-way westbound. Staff said it sees wrong-way traffic consistently, despite repeated signage fixes. Staff proposed partially closing that block for an outdoor dining area.

“If implemented, the outdoor dining area would be furnished and maintained by the town and open to general public, not dedicated just to those adjoining businesses,” said Town Manager Scotty Harris.

Why it matters: Staff said a plaza could clear tables and chairs off Main Street sidewalks, where they now block pedestrians, wheelchairs and strollers. Staff also said it would advance the strategic plan's call for more outdoor dining. A social district, which would allow alcohol in designated cups as at St. Patrick's Day events, was floated as a possible later step. Staff noted the rendering shown was AI-generated.

Where things stand: Supporters framed the plaza as both a safety and an economic play. Darla Letourneau urged a holistic plan for the whole corridor. “Studies show that shoppers who favor walkable streets spend up to 5 times more money than those who prioritize parking,” she said.

“A woman was hurt recently when a driver turned onto Florida Avenue,” said Inger Stahlman Jorgensen. She cited crowds at Meadow Sweet Creamery and breweries spilling into the street.

The other side: Opponents centered on access and visibility. Mary Parker asked that, if the street closes, it revert to adjoining owners so three women-owned businesses at 3 Florida Avenue stay visible. “What the very real perception is going to be: the street is closed; those businesses are closed too,” she said.

• Tanya Shepherd read a statement from Brooke Jackson of Meadowbrook Bridal: “We do not feel this closure would benefit our business, but rather cause traffic strain in an already congested area lacking parking and potentially cause additional unforeseen issues.”
• Wilder Watford, an attorney at 38 North Main, said he holds recorded right-of-way access across the block. “Anything that's done to Florida Avenue that prevents me from going across Alan Shepherd's property to get to Florida, I would be opposed to,” he said.
• Thomas Veazey warned about the nearby breweries: “We got three breweries within 50 yards of each other. That is going to turn into Alcoholic Lane.”

Amy Spooner, owner of Artisans on Main, made her support conditional. “If we can come up with some sort of plan for the public restroom situation, I would feel more comfortable leaning towards this idea of Florida Ave,” she said. She also asked for a non-AI rendering. Melissa Zimmer asked where displaced traffic would go.

The record leaves one basic question unsettled. Staff called Florida Avenue "currently a county street," while Letourneau described the corridor streets as town-owned.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No action was taken, and staff said closure would require further study. A council member revisited an older compromise: “Not closing Florida Avenue, but maybe removing those 3 parking spaces” to widen sidewalks for bistro tables. Harris said a previous council dropped that idea. “So they looked at that as a safety concern,” he said. A speaker recalled that Chief Overland had warned children could step into the road around tables. Adjoining businesses and access-rights holders stand to lose the most; diners and pedestrians stand to gain.

---

Staff Wants Merchants Alley Cleared for Fire Trucks

Why it matters: Merchants Alley is a 20-foot, two-way public street, according to a 2020 survey. Parking in its travel lane has grown for years. “Town code prohibits parking in the travelway,” said Harris. Staff tied that parking to damaged town vehicles, disrupted emergency and sanitation routes, and police complaints about blocked traffic.

Where things stand: Council requested the concepts at its July 13 meeting, and staff presented four:

• Concept 1 (staff recommendation): no through traffic, a southbound fire lane and sanitation route, and northbound loading
• Concept 2: two-way traffic, no travelway parking except three businesses with on-site spaces
• Concepts 3 and 4: one-way southbound or northbound, both rated poor for safety

Staff said emergency vehicles need at least 8 feet of travel width, and up to 12 feet for a ladder truck's outriggers. On the one-way options, Harris said they were “not a good option for safety because of the likelihood of people driving the wrong way on a one-way street, which happens routinely on Florida Avenue.”

Informal lobby sticker counts favored loading and unloading only, at roughly 35. Two-way traffic drew 15, and each one-way option drew about three.

The other side: Business owners largely defended alley parking. “What's changed isn't that people are parking in the alley. What's changed is the way that a handful of people are parking,” said Brandy Bailey, owner of Abani Salon for 17 years. She proposed allowing parking on one side only, with enforcement against individual violators.

Property owners split on the physics of the alley. Alan Shepherd, owner of the Shopes Building, said his own survey found about 25.5 feet and that two-way traffic works. He added that “the proposal on the fire lane would block doors at the Kohl's building.” Beth Mangum of Mangum Pottery cited 20 feet to the gas meters and 18.5 feet to the trash cans. “As far as the 2-way traffic option, that is simply not possible,” she said. Mangum favored local-only access.

“None of the proposed plans address any of us on the south side, south driving side of Merchant's Alley,” said Melissa Zimmer. She owns a women-owned mental health business at 8 Merchants Alley whose clients include people with limited mobility.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No option was chosen. Merchants and employees who park in the alley could lose those spaces under either leading concept. Until then, emergency and sanitation crews face the access problems staff documented.

---

"Nothing but a Band-Aid": Parking Supply Takes Center Stage

Why it matters: Several speakers argued the alley fight is a symptom of a larger problem. “We wouldn't have people parking in the merchant's alleyway if there was some easy public parking,” said Gerri Zimmer, who pointed to the hospital under construction.

Where things stand: “This parking issue is nothing but a band-aid. We need a parking garage,” said Veazey. He urged a garage behind Town Hall and buying a deteriorating house behind the library for a second garage and a library expansion. Lou Acconero said a ramp behind Town Hall could add about 80 spaces, and he warned of a mess within three years.

A council member cited an Economic Development Committee survey of hotel developers. “One thing that we heard over and over again is new hotels have to be walkable to restaurants and galleries,” the member said. The same member listed the new hospital, a regional recreation center on Reams Creek Road and “10 residential construction projects all authorized by council.” Another speaker called the garage and boardwalk ideas “a very viable long-term option.”

Employee safety: Removing alley parking would push workers to church lots. “All of those businesses will have employees that will be potentially walking solo by themselves in the dark to an unlit private parking lot,” said Spooner. She asked for cameras, lighting and de-icing. Josh Garris, owner of Curtis Wright Outfitters, described an 8:30 p.m. walk for a female employee in her mid-70s.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: A council member noted the town's 2017 agreement with three churches near Main Street and urged the manager to reconnect with their boards. Another speaker asked staff to confirm how many spaces the churches will supply. The request also called for coordinating with Director Reese on lighting and Public Works on snow and ice. Harris said staff had already walked the lots, reviewing striping, lighting and the footpath. Mangum cautioned that the churches previously rejected signage and pay-lot setups, citing liability.

---

Council Punts, Eyes a Stakeholder Task Force

Where things stand: “What we would like is some direction so we're not engineering 4 different options,” said Jennifer, a town staff member. She suggested council drop the one-way concepts.

Council wasn't there yet. “I'm not ready to give any guidance even,” said one council member, who backed a task force. Mangum said the idea came from Councilmember Mark Endries: a panel of business and property owners plus police, fire and public works, modeled on a 2017-2019 parking group. The same council member suggested involving the WBA.

The other side: The public process itself drew fire. Parker said the lobby poll offered no way to oppose the Florida Avenue idea. Staff acknowledged that several people had asked for red stickers to register opposition. Another speaker asked that outreach include businesses from Georgia Avenue onward and Alabama Avenue residents. One speaker supported a volunteer sign-up sheet, while another cautioned that the group “can't be so open-ended when we have everybody on it.”

What's next: Staff offered to bring the item back at the Sept. 28 council meeting. Residents were urged to keep emailing.

---

• Truck rerouting: A speaker asked Endries to ask NCDOT about rerouting tractor-trailers off Main Street, and he agreed to investigate. Alan Shepherd had said no-through-truck signs go unenforced and that trucks put Alabama Avenue children at risk.
• Digital parking: A speaker said the WEDAC committee brought boards information on digitizing parking spaces, with no answer yet.
• Written input: Staff reported five written comments alongside the sticker counts.

---

Looking ahead: Watch the Sept. 28 council meeting for whether members narrow the Merchants Alley options or formally launch the task force.