OKEECHOBEE -- Okeechobee Main Street is looking for ways to address the parking problems during public events in Flagler Park.

At the Sept. 6 meeting of the Okeechobee County Commission, Angie Griffin of Okeechobee Main Street asked the commissioners for permission to use the vacant lot across from the Historic Okeechobee County Courthouse on N.W. Second Street for vendor parking.

She said festivals are held on weekends and holidays when the courthouse is not open so this should not interfere with county business.

Okeechobee Main Street hosts the Speckled Perch Festival, Labor Day Festival, Christmas Festival and Top of the Lake Art Festival each year. Vendors are allowed to set up in Flagler Park before the festivals. Main Street would like to have a designated area to park the vendor vehicles and trailers during the festivals.

No RVs or campers will be allowed in the vendor parking area. No one will be allowed to stay overnight in the vendor parking area.

Okeechobee Main Street will provide liability insurance coverage for each event. The vacant lot will be cleaned up after each event. Main Street will cover the cost of repairing any damage to the grounds caused by the vehicles or trailers.

Commissioners agreed to the plan and thanked Okeechobee Main Street for hosting festivals which provide entertainment for local residents and attract tourists to the area.

The vacant lot was previously the site of Okeechobee Supervisor of Elections Office and the old Teen Town building.