BY DEBBIE PAGE
After fair parking was brought up in member comments at the end of last Thursday night’s Troutman Town Council meeting, Mayor Teross Young called a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the issues and possible liability of allowing parking for the Iredell County Fair on a .3-acre section of its recently purchased Liat property.
Town Attorney Jason Ralston told the council that the fairgrounds has an easement on the small section of property to allow parking there. Council members were concerned about possible damage to a sewer line that runs through the area.
Iredell County Fair Chairman Jim Head said that fair organizers only allow vendor and staff parking in that area and that no heavy trucks or vehicles would be allowed. He added that Town Manager Ron Wyatt, currently on medical leave, had approved parking in the town’s property area, for which he had email proof.
After these assurances, the council agreed to allow parking in the area for cars and light vehicles.
Now that the county has taken over the fairgrounds operation, Head noted that the Kiwanis Club now only use the fairgrounds five weeks per year for the fair and for Carolina Balloonfest parking and shuttle buses to the airport on October 17-19.
Troutman Parks and Recreation Director Emily Watson said Carolina Balloonfest organizers had asked to possibly park shuttle buses at the Liat property parking lot, as they had in the past under previous owners, in their permit application. Police will patrol the fairgrounds and the Liat property during that weekend.
Head said they expect to park 2,000 cars per day and will transport thousands of people during this year’s 50th anniversary Carolina Balloonfest event weekend.
Head did express concern about the upcoming Dixie Horse Auction on November 28-29, saying that large vehicles and trailers might access the area since attendees had broken gate locks or taken gates off the hinges to access the area in the past.
Council member Eddie Nau praised the great work that the Kiwanis Club does in the community, mentioning its student scholarships and donations to many community agencies.
Though Nau was agreeable to vendor use of the property during the fair, he asked that council revisit the parking issue for other events at the council’s September agenda briefing.
Other upcoming fairground events include a tent revival and the annual Live Nativity in December.
Mayor Young suggested a barrier be erected during other events to block off the area and that the gate be kept locked.
The cost of police officers was also discussed. Police Chief Josh Watson determines if police presence is needed with each event application on town properties, and if he believes police officers are necessary for traffic or crowd control, off-duty officers are hired by event organizers, thus avoiding town resources being used.
Watson will provide information about the town’s parking plan, Liat property information, and upcoming event applications at the September Agenda Briefing to help facilitate decisions and parking plan revisions.