By By Seth Taylor
Copyright postandcourier
GREENVILLE — Enough is enough.
That’s the city’s message to people trying to skirt downtown parking garage fees by damaging parking gates.
Officials announced Sept. 17 they will now pursue criminal charges against anyone who breaks or lifts parking gates to avoid payment. Those convicted could face hundreds of dollars in fines and even jail time.
“This isn’t about punishment, it’s about changing behavior,” Parking Services Administrator Bill Foster said in a press release.
The more-aggressive stance comes as discussion of crime and safety downtown reach new levels.
While data provided by the city shows that crime has decreased overall across the city, a spate of late-night fights caught on video and a brazen Main Street burglary have made headlines in recent months.
The city also recently discussed doubling the parking rates in downtown parking garages. In most cases, that would amount to just a few dollars more.
According to the city, parking gates have been broken more than 100 times so far this year. While not unusual, officials say they’ve exhausted other methods to combat the damage, which can impede traffic flow and be costly.
In 2024, the city collected more than $100,000 in reimbursements from insurance companies for gate damage.
The city says gates are damaged weekly as people attempt to avoid paying parking fees. Surveillance video shows people hefting gates on their shoulder as cars try to sneak by. Sometimes, vehicles simply smash through the gate.
