BRADENTON BEACH – The city commission has rejected a paid parking proposal that city staff negotiated with Easy Parking Group owner Josh LaRose.
After two and a half hours of discussion on Sept. 15, commissioners unanimously supported Commissioner Ralph Cole’s suggestion to schedule a future work meeting to continue the discussion and decision-making process that may include soliciting bids from additional operators.
Public input from Bridge Street business owners and employees helped convince the city commission and staff to slow their efforts to implement a paid parking program. All parties involved agreed that it’s crucial to address employee parking as part of any paid parking plan.
Thursday’s well-attended discussion began with City Attorney Ricinda Perry providing an overview of paid parking discussions to date. She said the goal is to provide more revenues for the city without placing that financial burden on taxpayers and permanent residents who already pay the highest millage rate on the Island.
Perry said paid parking revenues would be used for three primary reasons – to increase funding for the police department; to replace, maintain or upgrade the aging city buildings, including city hall; and to improve the city’s existing parking areas.
Parking proposal
On Aug. 30, the commission discussed soliciting additional paid parking proposals but then authorized Perry and a team of city staff members to engage in direct negotiations with LaRose, whose Easy Parking Group already operates the Community Redevelopment Agency-funded Old Town Tram program.
The publicly noticed negotiations occurred at city hall on Sept. 6 and produced the proposal that Perry and LaRose presented on Sept. 15.
Perry said paid parking in 56 city-owned spaces at $3.50 per hour would generate an estimated $744,902 in revenue with the city would receiving 63%, or $469,288, and the Easy Parking Group receiving 37%, or $275,614.
The 56 parking spaces are located in the public parking lot along First Street North, behind the BridgeWalk resort, and near the police station, public works building and cell tower at the end of Highland and Church avenues.
Public parking spaces along Bridge Street were not included in LaRose’s proposal and it was noted that not including them would result in those free parking spots being used by employees and beachgoers.
LaRose said the city would incur no upfront or ongoing costs and his company would provide all the equipment and personnel needed to implement, support and enforce a paid parking operation that would require users to enter their license plate number and pay with a credit or debit card.
Public input
During public input, Bradenton Beach Marina owner Mike Bazzy said he had some reservations about paid parking and the unintended consequences that could include more visitors and employees parking in residential areas.
“If you’re going to do paid parking, do it everywhere, not just in a few locations,” he suggested.
Bridge Street Jewelers employee Brandt Clark presented a petition containing the signatures of 360 people who oppose paid parking. Clark asked where the employees would park and he noted those who begin working earlier in the day can’t park at Cortez Beach or Coquina Beach and ride the Old Town Tram because they don’t start running until 11 a.m. Clark said paid parking would take money out of the pockets of the employees the Bridge Street businesses depend on.
Paradise Boat Tours General Manager Sherman Baldwin said the business owners he spoke with oppose Bradenton Beach becoming the first city on the Island to implement paid parking. He said paid parking would create additional revenues for the city but wouldn’t address the lack of parking.
Mermaid Haven owner Deb Myers said the proposed plan wouldn’t resolve the issue of employees parking in spaces that could be used by customers.
Commissioner Jake Spooner said paid parking would create turnover of the existing parking spaces and allow more people to visit Bridge Street. He agreed that employee parking must be addressed, but if done right, paid parking could be a win for everybody.
BridgeWalk resort owner Angela Rodocker provides parking for her guests and employees, but she said she supports paid parking if it addresses employee parking.
Rodocker has been critical of LaRose’s operation of the Old Town Trams. She suggested the city implement paid parking on its own and not give up a significant percentage of the revenue.
Perry said a competitive bidding process might be a better route and Mayor John Chappie noted that wouldn’t prevent LaRose from submitting another proposal.
Sea-renity Beach Spa owner Amanda Escobio agreed with Rodocker’s comments and cautioned that paid parking could result in some employees deciding not to work in Bradenton Beach, which would further exacerbate the ongoing labor shortage. Island Time restaurant co-owner Ron
Fuller said he witnessed the paid parking implementation in St. Armands Circle and the initial implementation was “an absolute disaster.”
Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said, “I don’t think it’s up to the city to supply parking for businesses. You have a business and it’s up to you.”
Police Chief John Cosby agreed that employee parking is a problem, but he noted city code allows Bridge Street establishments and businesses to be built and operated without any parking requirements. Cosby said he supports paid parking but is concerned that the city is moving too fast. He also said a lot of people don’t feel comfortable with LaRose as the project operator. Some of Cosby’s other concerns are a lack of enough officers to enforce paid parking and that the city doesn’t have the staff or the experience to implement a paid parking program on its own.
