VIDALIA — A new fence being built in the parking lot of Hammers Wine and Spirits on Carter Street in Vidalia is causing concern for some area residents.

Residents are worried the new fence will cause problems for people trying to get in and out of the shopping center complex where Hammers is located.

Vidalia resident Sharon Landrum said she was upset by the placing of the fence.

“It’s dangerous,” she said. “I am surprised no one has had an accident yet.”

Vidalia resident Martha LaShute said the fence will force people at Warshaw Chiropractic Clinic to back out of the parking lot when they leave.

“Carter Street is a busy street,” she said. “And people who are visiting a chiropractor’s office are dealing with neck and back problems. It doesn’t seem safe.”

Landrum also said parking for the restaurant El Ranchero will be lost due to the fence.

“People love that restaurant. It brings in money,” she said. “It is always busy, and this just makes it harder for them to have customers.”

The fence, when complete, will stretch from the store all the way to the entrance of Hammers, owner David Foster said.

Foster said along with the fence, he will be putting up lights to help make his parking lot more visible.

“I am going to be installing four flood lights,” he said. “I believe it will make things a lot safer at night.”

Foster said the lack of lighting in the parking lot makes it very difficult to see at night.

“It gets extremely dark out there, and the closest light is at Dollar General,” he said. “By the time it gets to Daylight-Savings Time, it gets dark at 5:30 p.m. and we close at 9 p.m. People don’t like to go to a place that isn’t lit very well.”

Foster said the fence is going up to also provide more parking for his customers, because it will stop people who aren’t Hammers customers from parking in the lot.

Foster said he has also had problems with property damage from 18-wheelers using his parking lot at night.

“They have pulled in and clipped my sign and tore up one of them,” he said. “This will stop that from happening.”

Foster said since he owns the property the fence is on, work on the project will continue.

“As long as it is fine with the city, I really don’t see a problem,” he said.

City Manager Ken Walker said the city can do nothing about the fence.

“The city is not able to dictate whether or not you can have a fence on your property,” he said. “(Hammers) cannot extend the fence into the right of way of the road, and that is about it.”

Landrum said she hopes something gets done to have the fence project put on hold.

“If I owned (Hammers) I would be happy it is located in such a high-traffic area,” she said. “The fence is going to bring more bad than good, and something needs to be done about it.”

Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said he spoke with the city attorney, and Foster has every right to do what he wants with the fence.

“I wish (Foster) would discuss the fence with the other property owners to figure something out from there,” he said.