Paces aims to strip parking from Center Point business, without telling owners

The allegedly pro-business Kerr County Commissioners Court could strip a new Center Point market and antique store of parking during its Monday morning meeting, and it’s the first the owner has heard of the plan.

The no-parking plan for Kelly Street, just off of Farm-to-Market Road 480 and Center Point’s main thoroughfare, is the brainchild of Precinct 2 Commissioner Rich Paces. The commissioners could decide the matter at 9 a.m. Monday.

The business in question is Central Provisions, an emerging market that hosts events that can lead to car parking on the narrow Kelly Street. In a county document, the Road and Bridge Department said Paces asked for the no parking signs.

“Commissioner Paces made a request to Road and Bridge to install no parking signs on Kelly Street just west of FM 480,” wrote Road and Bridge’s Kelly Hoffer to the court. “There is a business at this location that fronts 480 that has made traveling on Kelly Street at this location challenging because of how narrow it is and that cars park on both sides of the road.”

Paces, who volunteers as a firefighter with the Center Point Volunteer Fire Department, said firetrucks and emergency vehicles couldn’t get down the road. While that might be true, the main point of departure for CPVFD would likely be the wider Skyline Drive from the fire station, which is at the corner of Kelly Street and Skyline.

However, no matter the reasoning, the request was news to the owners of Central Provisions, who didn’t know about it until The Lead told them it was on the agenda for Monday. Kayte and Justin Graham and their business partners operate the market, which plays host to live music and dining events.

The Grahams, who live next to the fire station on Kelly Street, said they would have been more than happy to discuss the situation with Paces. The Grahams are among a new wave of entrepreneurs hoping to revitalize downtown Center Point. Just down the street on FM 480 is Zanzenberg Tavern, which attracts crowds for its dining and events. However, only Central Provisions faced singling out by Paces.