SANFORD, Fla. — Parking in Downtown Sanford is limited and the city government has tried to help over the years.

The city currently allows golf carts to drive and park downtown, which takes up less space, and have purchased or taken over lots.

What You Need To Know

  • The Sanford City Commission is looking at ways to add more parking in the downtown area

  • They are currently considering the construction of a new lot, adding parking spots, or building a garage

  •  In exchange for the additional parking, businesses would be taxed to fund the project

  • The city has not yet released any details about project costs or how much businesses would be taxed to pay for it

The good news is, more and more people are coming in to downtown Sanford, but business owners say the problem of limited parking remains.

City leaders are now looking at ways to add parking, and one idea would require taxing the downtown businesses to fund the potential project. Many businesses now have questions about what that would mean for them.

The Colonial Room Restaurant is a longtime downtown staple, and its owner, Michelle Simoneaux, has spent nearly 40 years there — 25 as a waitress and 12 as the business’ owner.

“With waitressing for 25 years, it would have broken my heart to see it go away,” Simoneaux said. “So my husband and I had the opportunity to purchase it.”

She says her view of the inside has always been the same, but the one looking out has changed over the years.

“It used to be side-curb parking, and now it’s the parallel parking,” she said, looking out her restaurant window. “We have had different parking lots around the area as well.”

To assist with adding parking to the downtown area, the Sanford City Commission is now considering different types of projects. But the current plan would come with a tax for the local businesses.

Currently, the cost of additional parking is unknown, but Sanford Mayor Art Woodruff said any tax would be based on how big the business is, how many people the business can hold, and if the business already has parking.

Behind the Colonial Restaurant, for instance, Simoneaux said there is a city-run parking lot that can hold about 50 cars. The lot was closed over the summer, but is now open, and employees and customers use it to park.

Aside from rising food and employee costs, Simoneaux said her lease is going up 40% in 2024. While additional parking in the downtown would be a benefit, she said a tax to help pay for it would be an added cost, and a financial hit she was not anticipating.

Downtown businesses owners say they want more parking, but the cost, and who pays the bill, are questions the City Commission is working to answer.