Is shoehorning in more parking the answer?
At a Sept. 12 Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting at Holmes Beach City Hall, Mayors John Chappie of Bradenton Beach and Judy Titsworth of Holmes Beach discussed a long-term plan, strategic approach and legislative changes they maintain will alleviate the island’s parking problem and ward off overcrowded beaches and strained infrastructure.
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy did not attend the meeting.
A question about Bradenton Beach’s plans to create a paid parking program on city-owned lots from Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Organization executive director David Hutchinson prompted the conversation.
“I’m just wondering, where will that be and how will that work?” Hutchinson said.
Chappie replied that city officials were working through details of a pilot program to convert some parking spaces to paid parking near the public works department building, 107 Gulf Drive N., the police department, 403 Highland Ave., and nearby Lou Barolo Park.
The paid program also could include spaces on Bridge Street.
He described the municipality’s “ultimate plan” of using Bradenton Beach’s tram service to shuttle Bridge Street visitors and employees from an expanded parking lot at Coquina Beach.
“It would work with the shifts to make it easier for them,” Chappie said. “We don’t want to hurt (the employees).”
“So we’re definitely not forgetting the employees and we’re trying to make it safe for them and not expensive for them,” he added. “But it’s difficult with the limited parking spaces we have right now in the community redevelopment agency (area).”
City officials and Manatee County leadership are in talks to add designated spots for Bridge Street employees near the Coquina Beach North Boat Ramp, he said, but the initiative is on hold until the county finishes a stormwater project on the beachfront at Coquina.
Following Chappie’s explanation, Titsworth said she was surprised planners intended to add spaces to the parking areas without conducting a traffic study.
She said island leaders should determine how crowded they would like island beaches to be daily before pursuing “unlimited” parking lots.
“Take a bird’s eye picture of the beach on Memorial Day weekend and all you see are umbrellas and people are crammed there,” Titsworth said. “That’s OK for a holiday but do you want that every single day?”
She also said that Holmes Beach already has a capacity for 12,000 beachgoers daily.
“Everyone’s saying we’ve got to provide more and more (parking),” Titsworth said. “Well, we’ve got to watch it. Right now, at full capacity, we’re at 12,000 beachgoers. What does that look like? We’re concerned about the health of our waters, as well.”
Chappie lamented that state law forbids county commissioners from spending “bed” tax dollars on initiatives indirectly related to tourism, including island infrastructure improvements and lifeguard salaries.
He said the strain tourists put on island facilities should motivate state legislators to rewrite tourist tax spending rules.
“That’s what needs to change,” Chappie said. “To develop that other revenue stream so our communities can provide a safe place out here on the island for our visitors and residents.”
DOT initiatives
At the meeting, Chappie, Titsworth, Hutchinson and Florida Department of Transportation Community liaison Tanya Merkle discussed an 8.7-mile “complete streets” study of Gulf Drive that will identify roadway improvements along the island’s main thoroughfare.
The DOT programmed the study for 2025.
The group also briefly discussed a Gulf Drive crosswalk installation project but Merkle could not provide details.
She said she would follow up.
Municipal developments
Chappie reported he is in talks with the DOT to change the style of light fixtures on the planned high, fixed-span replacement for the Cortez Bridge.
The DOT plans to build the new bridge 2026.
He said Bradenton Beach nearly had finished undergrounding utilities in the southern portion of the city and planned to bury utilities from Sixth Street South to Bridge Street during the next phase of the project.
Titsworth said Holmes Beach’s city center project is underway thanks to federal American Rescue Plan Act funding.
Stormwater projects related to the initiative are slated to begin in October.
Chappie and Titsworth discussed the county’s decision to pull funding for a Kingfish Boat Ramp redevelopment project.
Titsworth said Holmes Beach was in full support of the project but technicalities forced the county to pull funding before revisiting the initiative.
Know your ITPO
The ITPO comprises the mayors of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach. One official rotates as a Sarasota/Manatee MPO board member and as a DOT liaison.
Titsworth, chair of the organization, currently represents the island municipalities on the MPO Board.
The next ITPO meeting will be 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
The next MPO board meeting will be 9:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at the Holiday Inn Sarasota-Airport, 8009 15th St. E., Sarasota.