A suggestion to make a street in Old Town Dayton a one-way street to create more parking is causing controversy in the historic area.
Michael Viljoen of Dayton Grooming was granted a loading/unloading zone outside his shop at 45 Main St. last month to help some of his elderly customers who couldn't walk very far.
"I asked for the loading and unloading zone because I don't have a parking lot," he said. "There's a lot of new things happening right now, with the new restaurant and bar, and Mia's opening up again, and there's no parking."
He was concerned that with the restaurant activity, the Fox Hotel renovation and another building sold, there would be even more demand for parking spaces in the future.
"If things do come around with the boardwalk and gas lights and maybe places opening up as antique shops, it might be worth looking into to do a one-way street to improve parking," he said. "If you don't look at the future, you may as well not look at anything."
Lyon County Commissioner Bob Milz said it isn't possible to make Main Street one-way, but it might be possible for Pike Street.
"Pike Street is the only place it could be," he said. "Main Street is too narrow already, and we need for fire trucks to be able to get through."
He asked county staff to look at the feasibility of diagonal parking on Pike Street, with it possibly becoming one-way, from Main Street toward the east.
The section of Pike Street in front of the Dayton Community Center already has diagonal parking.
Mabel Masterman, a member of the Historical Society of Dayton Valley, opposed any changes until the master plan was completed.
"I feel extremely strongly about the fact that they're working on the master plan, and it's been very strongly recommended there be an historical overlay in downtown Dayton," she said. "Why don't we get the master plan finished, not just doing a nickel-and-dime operation every time someone comes up with a request."
She said she didn't think making Main Street one-way was possible.
"It would be bad news to have it outbound one-way because the C&C was always referred to as the gateway to the Comstock, and the chamber of commerce and tourist information is planned to be there, along with the Historical Society," she said. "They should do the master plan, do the historical overlay, then take a look at the major changes proposed for parking."
Masterman also mentioned that there were a few areas in Old Town Dayton that would work for a community parking lot, such as a lot near the Bluestone Building on Main Street or the easement between the former Old Corner Bar and the C&C Depot.
"This should have been brought before the Historical Society and DRAC, because we may have found another alternative for parking," she said.
• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.