A Phoenix business owner said the Phoenix Community Alliance and the city of Phoenix have singled him out in an effort to close down his parking lot, located north of the Downtown Phoenix campus on North Central Avenue and East Fillmore Street.
Leon Woodward, owner of U.S. Parking Systems Inc., said he was told by Phoenix officials in a meeting on Sept. 29 that he is under investigation for violation of city zoning ordinances.
“That means they’re going to do something to me,” he said. “I take it as a threat to close me down.”
The meeting came after the alliance filed a complaint against his parking lot. Don Keuth, president of the Phoenix Community Alliance, said Woodward’s parking lot has not met some of the necessary requirements for parking lots in that zoning area, such as landscaping.
“It’s not compliant with what’s required for a parking lot like that,” Keuth said. “That’s not what we want to have down here. It’s just paved.”
Woodward said his parking lot is of equal to or better quality than any of the surrounding lots, including ASU and the Phoenix Public Markets’ parking lots.
“I would never operate a parking lot such as what the city owns,” Woodward said. “I pave all my lots. I’m not afraid to spend money.”
Keuth said Woodward’s lot doesn’t have a required use permit.
Woodward said his understanding was that only new parking lots needed permits. He said his parking lot has existed as a commercial business for about 30 years, meaning it doesn’t apply.
“It’s like a house — when you remodel your house, you got to get building permits to put a new roof and a new ceiling and new plumbing,” Woodward said. “But then when you go vacuum your house, you don’t need a permit for that.”
Woodward said if the city closes his business down it would make the parking lot unsafe and affect lots of people, including ASU students.
“If that parking lot closes and I take down the lights, the kids are going to park there anyways,” Woodward said. “There’s a lot of creeps, and what I don’t want to see is the kids getting mugged.”
Woodward also said even if his parking lot business is shut down, the property will still belong to the same landowners, who will allow him to put up more than 30 signs giving ASU students permission to park there free, which he may or may not follow through with.
“They can park for free, but they have to park at their own risk,” Woodward said. “If they get mugged, the person to call is Don Keuth.”
However, Keuth said he doesn’t think this issue will affect students.
“All [Woodward] has to do is get a use permit and it doesn’t change anything,” Keuth said. “I don’t think it’s the intent of the city to just come and shut him down.”
While not entirely sure, Keuth said he believes acquiring a permit can be done quickly.
“Other people have done it,” Keuth said. “You have to file an application, you have a hearing and you go from there.”
Woodward said he will get a permit if that is what his lawyers advise him to do.
“If that’s what it takes, I will do it,” Woodward said. “On the other hand, my lawyers are concerned that I’m being singled out.”
Journalism sophomore Kathleen Gormley said she has used the parking lot in the past and thinks it would be a huge inconvenience if it were shut down.
“Whenever I drop by, it’s always full, so a lot of people would be out of luck,” she said.
Gormley said she doesn’t think the lot is very safe right now, so less-safe but free parking wouldn’t deter students.
Woodward, who has a history of dealing with the city of Phoenix, said he will be prepared if he is shut down.
“I don’t look for trouble, but when city people pick fights with me, the city tends to lose every battle,” Woodward said . “I don’t expect to lose this battle.”
Reach the reporter at salvador.rodriguez@asu.edu.
