The Knoxville City Council and Marion County Board of Supervisors discussed parking concerns during a joint session Tuesday. City Manager Harold Stewart explained many downtown business owners feel that they’re losing parking spots in front of their stores to County employees in the Courthouse. He asked if Courthouse employees would be willing to park a block or two off the square to open up some of those spots.

The Supervisors noted that the County is the largest employer downtown, and many people parking downtown are doing so to access Courthouse services and court services. They added the people who work in the Courthouse provide a large customer base for downtown businesses. They wanted to know specific options that were available for those employees. They also talked about long-term plans for after Streetscape is complete.

The City asked that employees consider parking in the lot near City Hall, behind the Chamber of Commerce, or north of the square. Representatives from the groups are meeting Wednesday to discuss the matter further as well as long-term solutions.