Cartersville-Bartow Chamber Parking Lot Closure Notice

Parking Lot Closure Details
On June 12, 2024, the Cartersville-Bartow Chamber installed signage notifying the public that our privately-owned parking lot adjacent to our building at 122 West Main Street in Downtown Cartersville will be closed daily from 8pm to 6am. A map of the affected area is available for added clarity. Enforcement will be through towing.

Reasoning for Closure
The Chamber’s mission is to serve, promote, and add value to businesses in our community while sustaining a strong sense of community. A strong sense of community includes clean, welcoming, and safe spaces for the public to gather and park for business purposes. In light of the increased findings of paraphernalia that indicates activity unbecoming of the community we so deeply aim to preserve; the Board of Directors has made this careful decision. Our goal is to maintain a welcoming environment for patrons during and beyond traditional business hours and to minimize the business risk associated with allowing late evening gatherings in our parking lot.

Considerations Made During the Decision-Making Process
Recognizing that we are a pro-business organization, our Board of Directors made the decision to keep the lot open beyond normal business hours and to a reasonable time when we believe the majority of business commuters – employees and customers – would have vacated downtown. After 8pm, the newly opened 75 spot parking deck as well as other public parking areas are expected to be available and not at a premium. The Chamber has agreed to exclude the parking spots in front of our building and overlooking Main Street from the enforcement area. Therefore, these spots will be available for downtown patrons beyond 8pm. Additionally, the Chamber will make exceptions for large community events and gatherings downtown when additional parking may be needed beyond 8pm to support the business community. Temporary signage will be placed at the entrance to the lot when these exceptions occur.

Actions Taken Prior to Closure
This discussion has been one that has taken place over several years. Prior to this decision being made, the Chamber took the following actions: installed cameras which have reinforced our concerns, enhanced the lighting in the area to attempt to deter unbecoming activity, requested additional police presence, spoken with neighboring businesses about the issue and possible solutions, installed private lot signage, and dedicated a tremendous amount of staff time and financial resources to attempt to keep the parking lot clean and safe.

Parking Alternatives
We are pleased to share that Bartow County has recently opened a public parking deck directly across Main Street which is open 24/7 and provides complimentary parking to downtown patrons. Parking spots along Main Street are also available for public parking and local businesses will have their own spaces available as well.

Additional Items of Note
While the Chamber has made reasonable efforts to balance business support with community vibrancy, the responsibility of cleanliness and safety remains with our private organization. Therefore, we reserve the right to enforce the private lot as we deem necessary, even outside of the enforcement hours. Suspicious or illegally parked vehicles are among those that may be towed at the owner’s expense even during business hours.

For More Information
If you have any questions regarding the closure of the Chamber of Commerce parking lot, please email reception@cartersvillechamber.com.