Parking Regulations

Parking Regulations in the Town of Highlands

Business employees are affected by parking regulations in the downtown business district that are enforced from April 15 through November 30. The regulations, adopted in 2000 and amended several times since then, are sometimes confusing, but they arose out of long discussions between the Town Board and the business community in an effort to try to resolve parking problems. The objective is to prohibit employees from parking in this area; an exception is permitted for real estate offices. The Town has constructed much additional parking in the past few years, especially along Spring Street and Oak Street, but obviously there is a finite amount of parking in the central business district. Two-hour parking, in effect for several years, was eliminated from regulation on June 25, 2008.

The "Downtown Business District Parking Ordinance" regulates employee parking by defining the business district, primarily consisting of the B-1 zoning district where parking is not required for businesses under the Zoning Ordinance. Parking regulations are enforced by the Highlands Police Department; the fine for violating the Downtown Business District Parking Ordinance is $50.00. Parking tickets may be paid at the Town Office located at 210 North Fourth Street.

If you have any questions about where you can park or how long you can park, feel free to ask the Parking Enforcement Officer, or stop by the Town Office or the Visitor Center. Schedule maintained in the office of the Clerk.

Downtown Business District Parking Ordinance

Effective June 25, 2008

Section 7-117.

(a) Definitions.
1. (1) "Performing his duties" shall mean being present at a place of the person's employment during its normal hours of operation.
2. (2) "Park" shall include the act of parking a vehicle, the act of allowing a vehicle to remain parked, and the act of failing to promptly remove such vehicle upon request by an on-duty police officer for the Town of Highlands.
3. (3) "Vehicle" shall be as defined in G.S. 20-4.01(49) and shall include all such vehicles regardless of ownership.
4. (4) "Downtown Business District" shall mean the entire B-1 Business District, as designated on the current Zoning Map of the Town of Highlands, as well as that portion of the B-2 and B-3 Business District lying within the area formed by the following boundaries: the centerlines of Oak Street, Second Street, Spring Street, and Third Street.
5. (5) "Downtown Business District Employee" shall mean a person who works full or part-time for a business, profession, or organization that conducts its business at a location either wholly or partially within the Downtown Business District, or a principal/owner of such business, or an independent contractor with such owner, or a business associate who regularly conducts business there.
6. (6) "Employee-restricted parking areas" shall mean all parking spaces, both adjacent to the curbs and in the center, on Main Street between Second Street and Fifth Street, and that portion of Church Street located in the B-1 Zoning District.
(b) It shall be unlawful for a Downtown Business District Employee to park a vehicle within the employee-restricted parking areas while such person is performing his duties as defined herein, except that two (2) employees in each real estate office located in the Downtown Business District shall be permitted to park a vehicle in said area.
(c) The provisions of this Section shall be effective between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, between April 15 and November 30 of each calendar year.
(d) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to operators of vehicles displaying valid handicapped license plates or dashboard placards and parked in spaces reserved for the handicapped.
(e) The penalty for violating this Section shall be set forth in the Fee Schedule maintained in the office of the Clerk.