EARLY RENDERING OF PARKING GARAGE VIA @ANAONWHEELS ON REDDIT
The Clermont City Council approved moving forward with a downtown parking garage on June 23, establishing a citizens advisory committee to evaluate potential sites and report back within 60 days.
The two primary locations under consideration are a city-owned lot at Seventh Street and Minneola Avenue and lots behind Clermont City Hall. The committee will also review private-sector locations and any other proposals submitted during the process.
The parking shortage has been a recurring issue for downtown Clermont, particularly during high-traffic events like First Friday. Patrick Bianchi, president of Clermont’s Main Street group, has been among the most vocal advocates for a garage at the Seventh Street site. “I have 112 tenants in downtown Clermont who rely on the big events for revenue,” Bianchi said. “These attract their largest source of income, but the stress of car parking is a huge issue. We need to solve the problem as a matter of urgency.”
This is not the first time the city has studied the issue. In 2021, transportation consulting firm Kittelson & Associates analyzed possible garage sites, and the City Council selected the City Hall parcel as its preferred location. Atkins Engineering developed a concept plan for a four-story, 350-to-360-space garage at an estimated cost of $16 million, with a rooftop observation deck overlooking downtown, solar panels, EV charging stations, and elevators. The project stalled without moving to construction.
