Calls to veto a bill that would allow Manatee County to build a parking garage in Holmes Beach are building.
A pair of petitions joined letters from the city calling for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to veto House Bill 947, which would authorize the county to construct a parking garage in a public park managed by the county within the Holmes Beach limits, such as Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive.
HB 947 was filed by state Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, and would override a city code that prohibits multilevel parking facilities within municipal limits, allowing the county to construct a garage without permits or approval from the city.
Robinson’s introduction of HB 947 intensified a more than two-year feud between the county and city over parking lost when the city established its park-by-permit system in 2020.
The city prohibited public parking 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in 645 parking spaces along residential roadways and began selling $15 decals to residents and property owners to allow them to park in those spots.
City officials stand by the system, which they argue has improved residential quality of life by reducing roadside parking in residential areas and its side effects, such as litter and noise.
County Commission Chair Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Robinson argue such a system is unfair to off-island residents visiting the beaches and have pushed the city to return the lost parking spaces.
The bill unanimously passed both chambers.
The House of Representatives voted 116-0 April 27 to approve HB 947.
The Senate voted 39-0 May 4 to approve the bill. Republican Jim Boyd, who represents the island, supported the bill from its introduction.
HB 947 was ordered enrolled for presentation to DeSantis but it had not been transmitted to the governor as of May 19.
DeSantis will have 15 days from the date of the bill’s presentation to either sign or veto the proposed legislation.
The bill automatically passes if the governor takes no action within 15 days of its presentation.
The Legislature can override a governor’s veto by achieving a two-thirds vote in each chamber.
It’s unclear when the 15-day clock will begin ticking for HB 947 as there is no state law setting a timeline for a bill’s presentation to the governor.
In the meantime, local opposition to the bill has culminated in two petitions with more than 5,000 combined signatures as of May 20.
A change.org petition, “Veto HB 947 – Say NO to proposed parking garage!” sought 5,000 signatures when it launched May 15.
As of May 20, 3,745 people had signed the petition, according to change.org.
The petition states, “A parking garage will take away from the small charm of our beautiful island. No environmental impact or study to determine the traffic impact has or will be performed. This bill is also an attack on our Home Rule and if not vetoed, it could be the beginning of the end for Anna Maria Island as we know it.”
Another petition, launched May 17 on manateecitizenstakingaction.com, had gathered 1,478 signatures in opposition of the bill as of May 20.
The petition states that a parking garage, such as the $45 million structure proposed by the county, would “violate the community’s goal to maintain a quaint coast community.”
“Governor please veto CS/HB 947 and show your support as you have in the past for not wasting taxpayers’ money and allowing a city to decide what is best for their constituents,” the petition states.
The petitions join letters from Mayor Judy Titsworth, the city commission and Police Chief Bill Tokajer, asking DeSantis to veto HB 947.
The letters express the city’s opposition to HB 947, declare the bill an act of “big government,” question the necessity for additional parking and ask to return the matter back to the local level.
Titsworth told The Islander May 19 that DeSantis hadn’t responded to the city regarding the bill, nor has Robinson, the bill’s sponsor.
“Now that (DeSantis) is reaching for presidential stuff, who knows what’s going to get in front of him anymore,” Titsworth said. “All we can hope for is a veto.”
She added that options to move forward with legal action, based on HB 947’s disregard for the city’s state-mandated comprehensive plan, would be presented to the city commission if the bill becomes law.
“It’s a position where I never expected us to be, especially from a Republican-controlled state. I mean, this is such big government. These are decisions being made in Tallahassee on a local bill by legislators that have no idea anything about our city,” Titsworth said. “Never did I expect I’d have to be in battle against something as shortsighted as this.”
People can call DeSantis’ office at 850-717-9337 to reach a representative or email the governor at governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com to express their opinions about the bill.
