Parking continues to be a problem for Meridian businesses on Front Street across from the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience construction site.

“We’re making due right now,” said Linda Arledge, who works at Crooked Letter on Front Street. “The city’s going to have to do something — that’s just all there is to it.”

Attorney Will Parker, who expressed parking concerns to the Meridian City Council on Tuesday, said there are only 17 available parking spaces along Front Street between Constitution Avenue and 22nd Street. Before construction at the MAX, there was more parking available across the street.

With a number of businesses on that block, including Parker’s office, Crooked Letter, Jean’s Restaurant and Uptown Girl, many patrons are forced to park at least a block away during peak hours, sometimes farther.

Summer Johnson of Jean’s Restaurant said the lack of parking has hurt business, especially in the morning and during lunch.

“It’s bad… We can tell a difference,” said Johnson, who said she and other employees normally park near the train station.

Johnson also said she would like to see more parking lots in the area to prevent customers from having to walk farther than necessary.

Parker said the lack of space is more of an issue than construction traffic.

“For the most part, the museum and the contractors have been really good about not parking there,” Parker said. “They go park way down the street where they have designated parking.

Parker suggests more ticket-writing in the area, as many motorists don’t obey the signs that limit parking time.

“You have to have it based on time,” Parker said. “You don’t need people parking all day in a two-hour parking spot.”

Uptown Girl owner Tracie Brantley said she doesn’t think the lack of parking has hurt business all that much.

“I say the more traffic the better,” Brantley said.

Parker suggested “open communication” between businesses and the city to better inform business owners of impending changes.

And the city plans to do that.

Laura Carmichael, the cultural affairs coordinator for the city of Meridian, said “downtown [business] partners as well as city departments” will meet soon to have “open lines of communication about progress on the grand opening and the development” of the area around the MAX.

Meanwhile, LPK Architects, P.A. is conducting a study to address traffic issues.

In other action, the council approved:

• An order authorizing consent waiver for Anderson Crawley & Burke, PLLC to represent a civil case against the city.

• A resolution requesting to be added to the Lauderdale County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.

• An order authorizing Turn-Key Mobile as sole source provider of license plate reader software from Vigilant Solutions for the police department.

• An order authorizing execution of cooperative agreement between Lauderdale County and the City of Meridian to stabilize certain banks and drainage ditches.

• An order authorizing execution of interlocal agreement between Lauderdale County Economic Development District, Lauderdale County and City of Meridian.

• An order authorizing acceptance of grant award from the Department of Public Safety Office of Homeland Security – $21,000.