Council reviews county plan to abandon rear portion of Lee Street for county parking; council asks for protections for downtown tenants

City staff briefed the Canton City Council on June 4 about a county surface‑parking proposal that would add roughly 200 parking spaces by reclaiming the rear portion of Lee Street and converting that segment to a one‑way entrance into the county lot.

Public Works/Planning staff (Mister Ingram) said the county asked the city to abandon the back portion of Lee Street that attaches to the parking development; the county’s site plan proposes the one‑way entrance and the city asked the county to include a six‑foot sidewalk on the east side and to consider moving utilities underground. Ingram said the city has communicated to the county concerns about tenant access and existing rear parking used by downtown businesses and that the city is awaiting written agreements from the county describing how tenant needs would be protected.

Councilors raised practical questions: whether businesses could still store trailers in the rear, how the sidewalk would mitigate trucks striking air‑conditioning units hung on building facades, and whether any agreements will preserve current tenant access. Ingram said such items would likely be included in an intergovernmental agreement and that staff will work with the county attorney to draft protections and bring back proposed language for council review.

No formal action was requested June 4; staff sought council “head nods” to proceed with negotiations and legal review with the county attorney.