CLERMONT, Fla. — As the city of Clermont welcomes new businesses to its downtown area, city leaders are trying to get ahead of potential parking problems.

When she recognized the growth happening in Clermont, Kimberly Grogan decided to move her business, Dash Sports, to downtown in the summer of 2019. 

“With the idea that we could bring more to the downtown, and then the downtown,as it grows, would also bring more to us,” she said.

Grogan said more businesses opened in the area during the pandemic and she loves the drive and energy it’s created. 

“I was here this morning at 5:15 running with my group, and then people here late into the evening as well, so a lot more life down here,” she said.

However, more business means more cars needing places to park.

“There are challenges with people parking long term on the street,” Grogan said.

According to a parking study done in the fall of 2020, Clermont has a parking surplus of at least 100 spaces, but the city is leasing about 300 spaces.

“The developers might want to turn it into something more exciting than a parking lot and so we need to take responsibility for the future in having a more permanent parking option,” said Kathryn Deen, communications director for the city of Clermont.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, staff will present three concepts for a downtown parking garage, narrowed down from six in February.

“On costs, on number of spaces that could be fit on those three sites,” Deen said. “Those are Osceola Street and 7th, Minneola Avenue and 7th and City Hall. 

The sites vary from $8 million to $14 million in estimated construction costs.

Grogan hopes things keep running in the right direction and that the new parking garage will have architecture that goes with the look of the city.

“We don’t need something grandiose, we just need a place for people to park and have it well thought out for all the patrons that will come down here,” Grogan said.

The city council meeting will take place Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Council members will decide how to direct city staff to move forward.