After months of discussion, Clarkesville has quietly taken its first step toward regulating parking on the downtown square. Two wide-angle security cameras are now mounted and operational, monitoring the city’s two main public parking lots.
The cameras, installed by Omega Technology Group, are mounted on light poles on either side of the square. A third camera has been installed at the pickleball courts at Mary Street Park. According to City Manager Keith Dickerson, the cameras cost approximately $9,000, with an additional $3,500 paid annually to Omega for cloud storage.
Remote monitoring
The cloud-based system, developed by Eagle Eye Networks, allows authorized users to view live or recorded footage, check how long vehicles have been parked, and search for specific vehicles remotely.
“No one will be actively monitoring the system. The police department, city IT department, and City Manager will have access,” Dickerson told Now Habersham in early July.
When asked whether signage would be posted to alert drivers of the cameras, Dickerson replied, “Not at this time.”
When the City Council approved the camera installation in May, officials said the system would help monitor parking turnover and identify long-term parkers. With limited parking and increased traffic downtown, the move is intended to improve access for short-term visitors. Still, the move was questioned by many on social media due to the cost. Others questioned the impact of ‘customers only’ parking on residential tenants and non-retail outlets operating on the square.
In addition to the camera monitoring, the policy, spearheaded by Councilman Brad Coppedge, also includes a provision requiring downtown retailers to report violations by submitting vehicle descriptions and photos to city officials. Parking violators face possible fines; however, it is unclear whether such fines are enforceable by law since the parking regulations do not fall under a city ordinance.
