It's the "number one issue" at the Flying Star Cafe in the Santa Fe Railyard District and "our biggest hassle" for the REI store in the same area.

What else could that be but parking, and, unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's an issue that can be readily resolved.

As Bill Hon, the city's parking division director, put it, "People need to park correctly, and they need to pay for it."

There are 500 parking surface spaces in the Railyard, another 400 spaces in the heavily indebted, three-story parking garage. They are among the 2,500 parking spaces in downtown Santa Fe.

Parking can be a problem all over downtown, but it appears to draw more complaints at the Railyard.

Jean Bernstein, CEO of Albuquerque-based Flying Star Cafes and Satellite Coffee, said in a statement, "The number one issue our employees at Flying Star Cafe in the Railyard hear about from customers is parking."

While recognizing the city's needs for parking revenue, Bernstein said she would hope for a "slightly less zealous parking enforcement staff," as well as for "a loading zone (or two) that does not require special permits."

The REI store in the Railyard also has problems with parking. "From day one, it's been our biggest hassle," manager Bob Ward said. "It's just been very inconsistent. Some times the meters are working and some times they're not.

"Our biggest complaint is that the meters either don't work well or people don't see them."

On top of that, Ward added, is the fact that parking fees seem to fluctuate unannounced.

One big problem occurred Christmas Eve, when the parking garage in the Railyard closed earlier than expected, trapping cars in the facility with no way to get them out.

"We called the police, and they were able to get them out," Ward said. "But it sure didn't leave a good impression with people."

Ward praised the fact, however, that parking was free in the garage during the Christmas holidays. "Everybody was really happy about that," he said.

At a Railyard clothing store, daniella, "we generally hear the same complaints" about parking, said owner Danielle Fox. She added, however, that there are other problems, including the fact that retail space in the Railyard has not been leased yet.

Rod Tweet, owner of Second Street Brewery, recently opened a new restaurant in the Railyard. In his experience, "there have been some complaints" from customers about the parking situation, but not that many.

He added: "The meters are kind of a drag because they're so slow and malfunction at times as well. They could definitely be improved."

Weldon Fulton, owner of Station Coffee in the Gross-Kelly building, said his patrons all complain about the parking situation. And it's not just complaints. "It forces people away from the Railyard," he said. "They tend to go where they can park free."

Fulton, as were other merchants, was upset when the city's trucks plowed the streets, leaving all the snow to block parking spaces on both sides. The ice that formed on top of the snow that was another problem that wasn't handled properly.

"It's the little things that drive people crazy," Fulton said.

Hon, for his part, said he received complaints about parking in the Railyard area all the time, especially about the parking meters.

"They have had trouble performing the way they need to," he said. "We just fixed two or three of them the other day."

Hon also said he offered Flying Star reduced rates of $2 per day in the parking garage, but no one at the restaurant responded. As for loading zones, "I wouldn't have a problem putting in an extra loading zone," he said.

Hon disputed the fact that his parking enforcement officers are "overzealous."

"We have more than 2,500 parking spaces in the downtown area," he said. "I don't know how they can be overzealous when they have to cover that large a territory."

The drivers of the cars caught inside the parking garage during the holidays should have read the sign about the early closing of the facility, Hon said. "People don't pay attention when they drive in."

Hon also said he would be "happy to meet with Bernstein" to discuss Flying Star's parking problems.

"I'm not saying we're doing the best job in the world," he said. "But we are trying to making parking convenient for everybody."