The City Council on Tuesday night approved office zoning for an additional parking lot for the expanding Wilkins and Associates in East Brainerd, but not the requested access to Joiner Road from the new lot.
Neighbors, armed with a petition with over 100 names, opposed any more traffic on Joiner Road, saying it is narrow and without sidewalks.
Lynn Wilkins said the firm has over 250 employees and has run out of parking spots. She said the new lot is large enough for 115 spots, though only 40-50 are currently needed.
She said cost of the new parking lot is $275,000.
Ms. Wilkins said there would be limited traffic from the lot onto Joiner Road because it would be limited to employees with access cards to a gate.
The firm is planning a new building with 15,000 to 20,000 square feet to help accommodate its growth.
Council members Peter Murphy and Jack Benson suggested that the firm get an agreement from CBL and Associates to use spaces in the nearby large lot for Kohls and Target. Mike Price, who is working with the Wilkins firm on the project, said CBL is not interested.
Councilman Benson said he would go with Ms. Wilkins to CBL on the idea, saying it would bring more traffic and customers to the nearby stores.
He opposed the Joiner access, saying it would harm the integrity of the nearby residential neighborhood. He said a similar request for the Galen medical group had been turned down earlier.