A handful of new parking spaces might come up for grabs in Anna Maria.
But they come at a cost.
Members of the city’s planning and zoning board unanimously voted June 27 to recommend the city commission approval a site plan that would allow paid public parking and associated signage in the Sandbar Restaurant’s overflow lot at 9902 Gulf Drive.
The P&Z is an advisory board that reviews proposed land uses and policies and provides recommendations to the city commission.
The lot is owned by Weld Inc., the corporate entity of the Sandbar, 100 Spring Ave.
City staff discovered in February that without city approval automated kiosks had been installed at the lot to facilitate paid parking.
Signs at the lot direct parking motorists to pay via the ParkMobile mobile application, where fees are $5.70 per hour or $128.75 per day for a space.
City planner Chad Minor said Weld had not been fined for violating city code because they had complied with city staff’s request to apply for the new use with an updated site plan.
He said the city might pursue action against the property owner if the site plan is not approved.
The proposed site plan would allow the continued use of the lot for overflow parking from the restaurant while also adding paid public parking as a use.
Minor said one of the city’s concerns with the proposal was whether the Sandbar could continue to provide the 129 parking spaces required by city code.
However, with 161 parking spaces provided across seven lots, Minor said the restaurant’s minimum parking requirements would continue to be met.
He said staff recommended plan approval.
Brooks O’Hara, director of real estate for the Chiles Group, represented Weld at the meeting and said parking at the lot would be accessible 24/7 by “pure honor system,” possibly without staff enforcement .
P&Z Chair Dr. Jose Erbella expressed concern with overnight parking and camping in the lot and suggested closing the lot at night to prevent issues.
Minor said the city has overnight parking and camping regulations in place so, if there are such issues, code and law enforcement officers could act if they witness violations.
Mary Anne Whiteside, owner of property adjacent to the lot at 114 Magnolia Ave., complimented the restaurant’s handling of the lot. She said she has met with Ed Chiles, owner of the Chiles Group, about her concerns and he “had done nothing but improve the whole situation for us.”
P&Z member Bob Carter moved to recommend approval of the site plan.
P&Z member Barbara Zdravecky seconded the motion, which passed.
The proposed plan will go before city commissioners at their next meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 14, at city hall, 10005 Gulf Drive. Directions to attend via Zoom can be found at cityofannamaria.com.