Due to growing demand and a busy downtown area, Landrum has decided to move forward on another public parking lot downtown by leasing property from Operation Hope.

According to City Administrator Caitlin Cothran, both boards of Operation Hope approved the final contract. The lot will be near S. Shamrock and S. Church Avenues behind Soulisa’s Thai Dining and Operation Hope.

After two years of contract negotiations, city council officials approved the final contract for the lease on May 10 at their monthly city council meeting.

The lease agreement requires the city to pay one dollar annually for the duration of the 20-year lease. Additionally, the city has two years to develop the parking lot on the .24-acre parcel of land. All utilities for the parking lot, including streetlights, must also be paid for by the city.

Landrum Mayor Robert Briggs said the construction of the gravel parking lot will cost the city $17,000.

Additionally, having the newly constructed lot paved will be $15,000. According to Cothran, three bids for paving the parking lot were placed two years ago when negotiations began and the cheapest bid came from Prince Gas Company in Landrum.

This phase of the project will be completed later. Six spaces will be reserved for the employees and customers of Operation Hope. Construction on the lot will begin later this year.

The city is responsible for setting up signs differentiating employee from general parking spaces as well as patrolling the lot.

Business owners in Landrum have raised concerns about parking along Trade Ave. and E. Rutherford St. outside storefronts, saying owners are not allowed to park in visitor spots in order to free up spaces designated for residents, tourists and store customers.