The Holmes Beach permit-parking plan may be drawing its last breath.
The ordinance, which passed the commission with a 3-2 vote Jan. 26, was vetoed by Mayor Bob Johnson Jan. 28. It now has one last chance for approval.
It will again go before commissioners at a February meeting when, if it passes with a supermajority, a 4-1 or unanimous vote, then permit parking in the phase 1 zone of the plan becomes law. If it fails to gain the four votes needed, the ordinance dies.
The phase 1 zone extends on the west side of Gulf Drive from Manatee Avenue to 52nd Street, on the east side of Gulf Drive from Manatee Avenue to 43rd Street, from 74th Street to 81st Street west of Palm Drive and all of Neptune and Aqua lanes.
After the January vote, Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore reached out to city officials via email to recommend that if the ordinance passes by a supermajority vote, the city send the plan to the Florida Department of Transportation and Florida Department of Environmental Protection to ensure permit parking won’t adversely impact beach renourishment.
Commissioner Carol Soustek said the parking numbers in the zone were studied by the congestion committee and found to be adequate.
“There’s more than enough parking in the required areas,” she said.
Erica Carr-Betts, a coastal engineer with Coastal, Ports and Marine Environmental and Infrastructure, said she’s unsure how the plan would affect beach renourishment funds.
According to Carr-Betts, who previously worked on an islandwide parking study for the county, the 364 parking spaces needed for beach renourishment must be spread out along the shoreline to allow adequate access.
If parking spaces in that area are not adequate, Carr-Betts said funds for the renourishment project could be limited.
“A reduction in parking or beach access could result in a reduction of state or federal cost-sharing of beach renourishment projects,” she said.
With the county serving as the sponsor of renourishment, it falls to the county to make sure there is adequate public beach access and parking. According to an interlocal agreement signed in 2002 for beach renourishment between the county and three island cities, Holmes Beach agreed to manage parking and beach access on behalf of the county to maintain funding eligibility.
In August 2014, Holmes Beach Commission Chair Judy Titsworth sent a letter to Charlie Hunsicker, Manatee County director of parks and natural resources, regarding the permit-parking plan, but her inquiry went unanswered.
Titsworth and Commissioner Pat Morton voted against the ordinance at the Jan. 26 meeting.
According to congestion committee chair Jaynie Christenson, if the permit-parking ordinance is enacted, it would remove about 150 spaces from the city’s public parking count. Including trolley and bus stops, bike racks, parking at the public beach and assigned parking at beach access points, the city has 481 parking spaces available, not including right-of-way and other unmarked spaces.
What remains to be seen is if those spaces are in the correct areas to qualify for the maximum amount of beach renourishment funding.
Commissioners were scheduled to discuss the mayor’s veto of the permit-parking ordinance during the Feb. 9 meeting.
Commissioners then meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, for a work session at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.
No parking permits planned for renters, tenants
Renters in a proposed Holmes Beach permit-parking zone may not be able to park on the street where they live or vacation.
Under the city permit parking plan, which was approved by commissioners in a 3-2 vote but vetoed by Mayor Bob Johnson, permits would be issued to property owners, potentially leaving renters to either park on the property or search out parking.
According to city attorney Patricia Petruff, the city can legally refuse to grant permits to renters, even annual tenants at properties in Holmes Beach.
“It’s a civil matter between the property owner and the renter,” Petruff said. She added the rental property owner can obtain and pass along his or her parking permits to renters.
“All property owners have the same right,” she said. “How a property owner uses that right is up to them.”
The issue of permits may be a moot point if the permit-parking ordinance fails a supermajority vote.
The mayor’s veto has put the ordinance back before commissioners for another vote. In order to pass, at least four commissioners must vote for the ordinance.
The issue was to be brought back before commissioners for discussion Feb. 9 — after press time for The Islander. The meeting is set for 7 p.m. at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach
In a Jan. 26 vote, Commissioners Marvin Grossman, Jean Peelen and Carol Soustek voted for the measure and Commissioners Pat Morton and Judy Titsworth voted against.