Georgetown, Del., July 28, 2009: It’s a familiar routine for weekday visitors to downtown Georgetown: circle around and around The Circle in hopes of snagging that elusive parking spot.

Sussex County plans to cut down on those sometimes futile searches.

County Council, at its Tuesday, July 28, 2009, meeting, approved the conversion of County-owned land a block away from The Circle into an expanded parking lot, adding approximately 40 spaces to the County’s inventory of downtown parking. Construction on the $190,000 project could begin as soon as this fall, and be complete by the end of the year.

Deputy County Administrator Harold F. Godwin, who for more than a year has headed the County’s efforts to ease the downtown parking squeeze, said the County already owns a half-acre lot at Harris Alley and Cherry Lane, south of the County Administrative Offices building. The parcel, adjacent to another County parking lot, would give employees added parking, and allow other spaces closer to The Circle to be designated for those visiting the County complex.

Currently, parking for visitors is limited to a handful of free spaces in front of the County building, as well as metered spaces on adjacent side streets. With the courts, other government services and numerous firms located on and around The Circle, those spaces can disappear quickly.

Original plans to demolish two Pine Street houses to make way for more parking are now on indefinite hold. Mr. Godwin said the County, which owns the houses, would consider turning over those structures, free of charge, to a historic group or other suitable organization willing to relocate the buildings at their cost.

“This newest plan will save those structures for the time being, while giving us an immediate, reasonable solution to a very real and very noticeable problem,” Mr. Godwin said. “People hate searching for a parking spot, whether it’s at the mall, at the beach, or at the seat of government. We hope this will make for a more pleasant experience when our constituents have business to conduct at the County offices.”

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