What would have been a normal, non-controversial meeting at the October Weaverville Town Workshop on Oct. 13 turned into a tussle between a resident and a council member over how the town has handled downtown parking and traffic issues over Merchant Alley.
The town has been grappling with what to do about the narrow Merchant Alley corridor. Vehicles parking in the alley have been blocking and obstructing traffic. The alley is marked as two-way traffic, but is not really wide enough for two vehicles to pass.
The ongoing debate includes whether to permanently close Florida Avenue to vehicles and turn it into a social district, where pedestrians can stroll about with alcoholic beverages…