Holmes Beach officials are exploring an ordinance that might stoke the flames of conflict with Manatee County.
City commissioners reached consensus June 28 to send a proposed ordinance that would amend the land development code to prohibit multilevel parking structures within city limits to a first reading and public hearing.
The dispute began when Kevin Van Ostenbridge was elected in November 2020 and immediately voiced criticism of the park-by-permit system the city implemented earlier that year.
City officials stand by the system, which they say protects residential quality of life by reducing roadside parking on some residential streets.
Van Ostenbridge and other county commissioners argue the parking limits are unfair to off-island residents visiting the beaches and they have threatened to withhold beach renourishment funds if the limits aren’t reversed — or, build a parking garage at Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive — to make up for lost parking.
Van Ostenbridge attended the city’s June 14 work session, the first where the garage prohibition was discussed, and warned that passage could continue to reduce state and county funding to the municipality.
However, his warning failed to stop city commissioners from bringing the item back for a second work session.
City planner Bill Brisson said June 28 the proposed ordinance would require off-street parking facilities to be located only at ground level, effectively prohibiting multilevel parking garages.
Brisson said he also added a provision to improve pedestrian safety by discouraging unsafe crossings between an off-street parking facility and the associated use or business.
The provision would require off-street parking facilities to be located so people parking there could access the business or beach without crossing roadways — except at marked pedestrian crossings.
Brisson provided a map highlighting the city’s major roadways, such as Gulf and Marina drives, where pedestrian crossings would be required to link off-street parking facilities and their associated uses.
He added that marked pedestrian crossings would not be needed to link off-street parking facilities to their associated uses if they were divided by smaller, “local” roads.
Several city commissioners spoke in support of the added provision and agreed to include Brisson’s map and a list of street names to highlight “arterial or collector” roadways.
Commissioner Kim Rash said he would prefer the city allow its electorate to vote on a potential prohibition of multilevel parking structures by placing the item on the upcoming ballot as a charter amendment.
“Anything that’s really, really important to the residents, I think ought to be put out on a ballot,” Rash said.
City attorney Erica Augello said a Supreme Court case ruled that land development regulations, such as a prohibition on multilevel parking structures, could not be included in a city charter.
“The charter is not meant to regulate land development, it’s meant to provide a charter for the functioning of the city,” Augello said.
She added that Bradenton Beach’s charter currently restricts multilevel parking structures but she did not know if it remained valid or would stand up to a legal challenge.
Commission Chair Carol Soustek said she hadn’t spoken with any residents who were in favor of building a multilevel parking structure in the city and supported moving forward with the prohibition.
There was no public comment.
Van Ostenbridge did not respond to a July 1 email from The Islander.
The city commission’s next regular meeting will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 20, at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive. Directions to attend via Zoom can be found at holmesbeachfl.org.