Following complaints of vehicles consistently being towed from the Wells Fargo parking lot on 130 S. Church Street, Salisbury and Downtown Salisbury, Inc. (DSI) officials have issued a warning to residents and visitors to not park in the lot regardless of time of day, including on weekends.

Earlier this year, Wells Fargo ceased the majority of their banking operations and relocated employees at their downtown branch, located at 130 S. Main Street. The rear parking lot, with entrances on S. Church and W. Fisher Streets, remains privately-owned and managed by Wells Fargo Corporate Properties and is heavily restricted to those doing business with the building’s remaining tenants. The Wells Fargo ATM remains in place.

City and DSI officials sent a written request to the current owner’s property manager in March 2019 for additional signage if towing of cars not belonging to tenants or customers continued. Officials submitted another written request last month for the property manager to consider allowing the public to park in the lot after 5 p.m. While increased signage has been placed, towing continues.

Officials have begun discussions regarding leasing the lot with the prospective property owner who is working to acquire the property in early 2020. 

“There has been a positive response from this potential new property owner,” said Downtown Development Director Larissa Harper, “so the long-term ability for public parking in this downtown lot looks promising, even if it is for limited hours, evenings and weekends only.”  

Additional directional, also known as wayfinding, signs highlighting downtown public parking lots are being considered by the DSI Design Committee. An interactive downtown parking map is located on the DSI website to assist downtown shoppers and visitors with free, “unrestricted” parking lots and two hour on-street options at downtownsalisburync.com.