HOLMES BEACH – They’re upset and they showed it.
People demonstrated in advance of the June 9 virtual Holmes Beach City Commission meeting and about 100 people attended the telemeeting.
A recent reduction of about 1,100 on-street parking spots, following a nearly complete parking shutdown of parking during the COVID-19 beach closure, prompted a maelstrom of responses.
Although not on the meeting agenda, parking was discussed during public comment. About 15 people spoke and several letters were read into the record.
Former Commissioner Rick Hurst, who is pursuing a commission seat in the 2020 election, said he circulated and garnered more than 200 signatures “quite easily” for a petition opposing the parking change.
“The majority of residents do not approve this plan,” he said.
A letter from Palma Sola resident Karen Riley-Love, who operates a wedding business and is a photo-correspondent for The Islander, was read into the record by Commission Chair Jim Kihm, said, “I am concerned that this is happening too quickly, without input from residents and businesses affected by the changes.”
Karen Gertz-Casper, a Holmes Beach resident, said, “My family comes here because they know they can park at my house and easily have beach access. That’s been taken away. … So what do you plan to do for our residents?”
Holmes Beach resident Renee Ferguson said she favors the parking reduction, saying people park on her lawn and leave behind dirty diapers. “I just don’t think it’s fair that our city needs to be the sole provider of the parking.”
Holmes Beach resident Nancy Deal said she supports the change and cited an island traffic study that determined, “Free parking is not a right.”
“We cannot have unfettered parking on this island anymore, with all the problems it brings to our community,” said Deal, who suggested a town hall meeting to discuss parking solutions.