Painesville City Council recently gave city officials the green light to seek funding for a proposed streetscape project, which would add downtown parking spaces by turning a portion of South St. Clair Street into a one-way street. Council voted 6-0 to apply for grant funding at its Oct. 7 meeting, with Councilman Derrick Abney excused from the meeting. City Manager Doug Lewis told council that if the city receives the grant, it will not be able to use the funding until 2026. The proposed project would add about 25 parking spaces to the section of South St. Clair Street between Main Street and East Washington Street, Lewis said. That portion of St. Clair Street would become a one-way road, and the city would make other streetscape improvements to resemble changes made to Main Street and North Park Place. Councilwoman Christine Shoop asked Lewis about the possibility of adding the parking spots and changing the traffic pattern sooner than 2026 by just repainting the street, and then adding the streetscape changes later if Painesville gets the grant. Shoop added that repainting the street sooner would allow motorists to get used to the new one-way traffic pattern before the streetscape changes are implemented. It would also be less work in case motorists did not like the new changes. “We will look at it and see if we can’t restripe it in advance,” Lewis said. Councilwoman Lori DiNallo brought up the potential impacts to local businesses. She mentioned Branches of Wellness, which reported a decline in visitors this summer after a streetscape project closed off some parking spots and portions of the sidewalk on South Park Place. “Something to consider is we really need to be able to support our businesses to stay in business,” DiNallo said. Lewis said that there are other parking spaces near the South St. Clair Street businesses that would be impacted by a streetscape project. The contractor would be required to make sure that the buildings remain accessible at all times. The meeting’s city manager report also included letters of support from a number of nearby businesses, as well as representatives from the Lake County commissioners, Lake Development Authority, Laketran, Lake County Visitors Bureau and Lake Metropolitan Housing Authority. Lewis said that the city will need additional parking as a result of upcoming projects, including the redevelopment of Victoria Place and the planned opening of a new Crowley’s Dive Bar at 77 S. St. Clair St. The city manager’s report indicated that the project is expected to cost around $1 million. Painesville requesting a $425,000 grant from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency’s Transportation for Liveable Communities Initiative. It has received TLCI grants in the past for streetscape improvements along Main Street, North Park Place and South Park Place. The report added that the grant would require the city to pay a 20 percent match, or $85,000. Lewis said that the city will look for additional funding sources. Depending on the amount of funding it receives, it may need to do the project in phases.