A pilot program to address parking woes in Holmes Beach is expected to go another round with city commissioners in September.
Commissioners asked the city attorney at a July 16 work session to consult with Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer and draft what will be needed to enforce permit parking as part of a proposed plan.
City attorney Patricia Petruff told commissioners a draft ordinance or resolution could be ready for review in September or sooner.
Changes in parking regulations will be required, otherwise people will continue to “park wherever they want and take their $35 ticket and go on with life,” Tokajer said.
A citizens’ congestion committee headed by Jayne Christensen recommended four options — and commissioners favored a previously discussed “Option 1,” which features no parking on select streets except by permit.
Option 1, Phase 1, under consideration includes streets north of Manatee Public Beach including Christensen’s residence on 49th Street — and at the city’s north end.
The Manatee Public Beach area is located west of Gulf Drive, north of the beach, 40th Street to 52nd Street.
The north-end part of Phase 1 includes 74th-81st streets and Aqua Lane. White Avenue residents already have opted out of the plan.
Other features of the parking plan include residential decals, guest parking and a one-permit, one-vehicle allowance for residents.
During the meeting’s public comments, Joanne Brown of Aqua Lane told commissioners her street is overburdened by people who’ve been parking and partying, littering the street with trash, such as beer cans, cups, sanitary napkins, used condoms and dirty diapers.
Brown also said people have threatened her and others when they took pictures of these items.
She urged the commission to adopt the committee’s recommendation.
“Don’t force us to follow others and change our address,” Brown said.
Sue Wheeler of 79th Street gave an opposing view. “We have no parking problems. We have no day-trippers. Nobody ever comes down our street,” she said.
Wheeler doesn’t want a sign in her yard. She wants the city to remain a friendly place and her visitors to have somewhere to park.
Christensen said the plan aims to reduce traffic and congestion in neighborhoods, encourages alternative transportation and frees up the HBPD.
A downside, she said, is an administrative burden for city staff.
Christensen pointed to rationale in support of the committee’s work including:
• Parking and congestion problems “we already know exist.”
• The likelihood of future residential developments in Manatee County, resulting in “thousands” of people visiting city beaches.
• A continued investment in tourism.
• Potential paid parking at Manatee Public Beach that will “push people into our neighborhoods even more than they are today.”
Another issue the permits would resolve is the onset of valet parking on city streets for people at vacation homes and guests coming to the beach for weddings, according to Christensen.
“I really always want to emphasize what this is not,” she added.
“It doesn’t prohibit anyone from access to our beaches or from coming to our island. It’s about very specific areas in our community to protect our residential character,” Christensen said.
Commission Chair Judy Titsworth said she didn’t disagree with parking permits, but she worried that using only the selected streets would push the problem to other areas.
Christensen said adding future phases is designed to address that issue.
She also said parking problems plague the city only on holidays.
Commissioner Marvin Grossman and Mayor Bob Johnson discussed the allotted city parking required to receive beach-renourishment funding. Johnson said the city can designate the location of the required spaces.
According to Grossman, the county development of Manatee Public Beach caused the parking predicament, and he compared the situation to an amusement park failing to plan for its parking and expecting overflow to end up in nearby neighborhoods.
Commissioner Jean Peelen said she was “comfortable” with the congestion committee’s “Option 1” provided residents can “opt-out” or “opt-in.”
Titsworth favored a plan supported by the data collected on overburdened streets and didn’t want residents fighting over opting in or out.
The plan should be “what’s good for the city as a whole,” she said.
Commissioners Pat Morton and Carol Soustek agreed a trial parking plan should be enacted. Grossman favored acting on a proposal as soon as possible.
Soustek, who chaired the committee before her appointment to the commission, said, “The residents came to us for help. We didn’t get this plan out of the cloud.”
“I want to put it in as a phase. I think it will spread. Streets are going to be able to opt-in. Some streets only have one resident,” she added.
“I think we need to try it before it gets out of hand,” she concluded.
Titsworth said she’d be looking for staff input, including from new building official James McGuinness, who worked in other beach communities.
The commission chair said she’d like recommendations on necessary signs and timing.
Several commissioners noted a previous commission consensus on a 9-5 parking restriction. However, according to Christensen, other options are 24/7, sunrise-to-sunset, weekends or every day.
“Are the fees going to pay for the signs? I want to make sure it’s going to pay for itself,” Titsworth added.
FAQs on permit parking
The possibility of permit parking is all the buzz in Holmes Beach.
Congestion committee chair Jayne Christensen tried to clear up any confusion by handing Holmes Beach commissioners a FAQ sheet explaining Option 1, also referred to as Phase 1, at their July 16 work session.
• What is the cost of a parking decal? Free to those in Phase 1. For other residents, it is $10 for decals per registered vehicle and it is good for two years.
• If there is no street parking allowed on my road, where do my guests park? Guests should park in the driveway of the residence they are visiting. Holmes Beach residents can park their decal vehicles on the street.
• What if there are more guest vehicles than my driveway can accommodate? Residents can provide their vehicle decal number to the Holmes Beach Police Department and to their guests who park on the street.
• Where can contractors who work on homes — such as plumbers, cable guys — park? If they have a business vehicle with signage, they can park on the street or the rights of way.
• Is there handicap parking? Those with handicap permits are exempt. They are allowed to park in resident-only areas.
• Will I need a decal for my golf cart? No. Golf carts are exempt and are permitted to park in resident-only parking areas.
• Who is qualified to obtain a parking decal? The homeowner or tenant who rents more than 30 days.
• What about resort housing? Permit decals are for property owners — not LLCs and other corporate entities — with vehicles registered at a city address, or for persons under a rental agreement of more than 30 days.
• Where do the stickers go? Inside the rear window on the driver’s side.
• If I live in Key Royale or east of Gulf Drive, do I need a permit? It is not required unless parking in permitted areas.
• Do I need a resident vehicle permit if I live on a Phase 1, permit street? It is not required unless parking in areas designated for permit parking.
