[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[4.2 SPECIAL EVENT - AMELIA ISLAND FINE ART FESTIVAL ]
[4.1 PARKING ROUND TABLE ]
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>> IT IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS AT INTERSECTIONS LIKE, UM, ASH AND
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FOURTH STREET TO CROSS THE STREET GOING NORTH BECAUSE[00:24:33]
PARKING IS PERMITTED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET, NOT ON[00:24:37]
THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STREET. BUT, YOU HAVE TO WALK OUT ON THE[00:24:41]
VERGE OF THE TRAFFIC LANE. AND IT'S A 25 MILES AN HOUR ZONE.THANKFULLY, THAT'S A LOW SPEED, BUT, IT'S DANGEROUS TO CROSS IN THOSE AREAS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE OUT SO FAR TO LOOK TO YOUR LEFT TO SEE IF THERE'S A CAR COMING THAT YOU ARE IN FACT IN DANGER OF BEING HIT BECAUSE THE LINES OF SIGHT ARE SO BAD.
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THERE ARE STANDARDS FOR HOW FAR BACK THOSE CARS SHOULD BE PARKED, SO, I'M ARGUING HERE, SOMEWHAT AGAINST THE TIDE, PERHAPS, THAT IN SOME INSTANCES FOR SAFETY MATTERS, WE OUGHT TO HAVE FEWER PARKING PLACES NOT MORE.>> MAYOR BEAN: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO, THAT IS, I BELIEVE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT HERE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND SPENDING TIME WITH US, WE DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHY WE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE IT A WHOLE WORKSHOP. IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC ON THAT. SO, LET'S GO TO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND HAVE COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION ON THE PARKING ISSUE, AND WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO. I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER ROSS HAS GOOD COMMENTS. LET'S START WITH COMMISSIONER ROSS.
>> SO, IF YOU EXPECT PARKING TO BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF A DESTINATION AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FREE, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THIS IS WHERE THE THREE-HOUR PARKING LIMIT IS. THIS IS CURRENTLY NOT ENFORCED, EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S NOT ENFORCED, THIS WAS PUT INTO EFFECT BEFORE 2002. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS, AND THESE WOULD BE IN FRONT OF THE MARINA IT WAS DESIGNED SO THAT THE PEOPLE WORKING THERE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE THEIR CARS, IT'S TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE AND NOT ENFORCED.
NEXT ONE. THIS IS GOING TO MR. SANTRYS, THE RED ONES ARE WHERE IT'S WILL ARE NO PARKING AND THE GREEN ONES ARE WHERE IT'S BEEN DETERMINED BY STAFF AN OTHERS THAT IT PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE ANY PARKING AND THIS IS FOR SAFETY, BECAUSE, UM, THERE SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NO PARKING. BECAUSE, EMERGENCY VEHICLES CANNOT GET THROUGH EITHER BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE ROAD IS CONFIGURED THERE OR THE PORT. SO, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING
THAT PROBABLY STANDS TO LOOK AT. >> MAYOR BEAN: I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER ROSS, WHO PROPOSED THAT? YOU SAID STAFF PROPOSED
IT? >> TO BE HONEST, I WENT AROUND WITH INTERIM CHIEF JEFFREY TAMBASCO, AND JEREMIAH, ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THE CITY ENGINEER, AND THEY ALL AGREED THAT THE RED ONES WERE ALREADY IN, THE GREEN ONES ARE PLACES THEY CONSIDERED AS UNSAFE, AND THERE SHOULD BE NO PARKING ALLOWED IN THOSE AREAS. SO I MEAN, THAT'S UP TO STAFF, IN THOSE AREAS THAT ARE PROPOSED. I WALKED EVERY STREET DOWNTOWN, AND, COUNTED WHERE THERE WERE LEGAL PARKING SPACES. WHAT MR. SANTRY IS TALKING ABOUT IS YOU SHOULD BE 15 FEET FROM A FIRE HYDRANT AND 30 FEET FROM A STOP SIGN. THOSE ARE THE NUMBER OF LEGAL PARKING SPACES AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, TODAY, IN FERNANDINA BEACH. SO, THERE'S OVER 1800 PARKING SPACES.
THAT'S THE CAPACITY FROM 8TH STREET TO THE WATERFRONT. SO, A LOT OF PARKING SPACES. AND 177 ON THE WATERFRONT TOO. THIS SATURDAY, I WENT AND COUNTED PARKING SPACES AND HOW THE UTILIZATION, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, YOU'LL BASICALLY SEE, I MEAN, THERE'S THREE HOURS MORE OR LESS, INCREMENTS, I GAVE UP AFTER 6:30 I HAD HAD ENOUGH. BUT, I DROVE DOWN AND STARTED UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN, AND THEN CROSS WISE AND COUNTED WHERE THERE WERE PARKING SPACES. AND THESE WERE THE PARKING LOTS, AND YOU'LL SEE AFTER 10:00 A.M., THEY'RE ALL FULL. EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE THE PARKING LOTS ARE, AND THEY'RE ALL FULL. THIS IS SATURDAY. I LIVE DOWNTOWN, I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE 10 YEARS, I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SENSE OF WHAT GOES ON.
SATURDAY'S PROBABLY THE BUSIEST DAY. AND IT'S SATURDAY, AND YOU COULD SEE THAT IT IS FULL, AND I CAN TELL YOU, THE PARKING LOT AIN'T BIG, GOING, MR. LANGSHAW THERE, IT'S ALREADY PARKED OUT AT 9:30 A.M., AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, THAT'S NOT CLIENTS.
YOU CAN FILL IN WHO PARKS THERE, BUT, I MEAN, IT'S FULL. ONE PLACE THAT WAS NOT TOTALLY USED WAS PARKING LOT C AND D. AND
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THERE'S ONE LITTLE PARKING LOT THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT, IT WAS TOTALLY EMPTY THE WHOLE TIME. BUT, YOU CAN NOT, ALL OF THESE PARKING LOTS ARE FULL. SO, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, ON, THERE WAS NO AVAILABLE IMMEDIATE PARKING AT 1:00, 4:00, OR 630. ON MAIN STREET. . IF YOU'RE WILLING TO WALK A BLOCK OR TWO, THERE'S PARKING. AND A LOT OF THESE STREETS WERE COMPLETELY EMPTY. THERE'S 10 DAYS A YEAR MORE OR LESS THAT THE WHOLE CITY FILLS OUT. AND WE ALL KNOW THEM, SHRIMP FEST TO THIS IS ON SATURDAY'S IT'S A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT FOR PARKING BECAUSE OF THE FARMER'S MARKET, AND AROUND HERE, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT PARKING BECAUSE OF SATURDAY MASS AT ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH. SUNDAY MORNING IS A WHOLE OTHER STORY, BUT, THAT'S IN THESE AREAS THAT IT'S TOTALLY PARKED OUT. BUT, THERE IS NO WHERE ELSE TO PUT PARKING. THE ONLY OTHER PLACE TO PUT PARKING IS TO PUT 30 SPACES HERE, YOU COULD PUT 12 AT THE END OF SECOND STREET. AND AT BROOME STREET, WHICH IS UP HERE SOMEWHERE, YOU COULD PUT ANOTHER 15. LACHUA STREET WILL CUT DOWN ON PARKING. AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. THEN, YOU'RE STARTING TO TEAR DOWN BUILDINGS, OR WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO DO. SO, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT I DON'T BELIEVE CAN BE FIXED IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE IMMEDIATE PARKING. IT'S TOTALLY PARKED DOWN. SO, THE NEXT ONE, HERE'S WHAT I COME AWAY WITH FOR THIS, THE THREE-HOUR PARKING RESTRICTION, I WOULD REMOVE IT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ENFORCED, OR ENFORCE IT, ONE OR THE OTHER, THE NO PARKING DESIGNATION FOR CERTAIN LOTS FOR SAFETY SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED BY STAFF WHERE THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE. STRIKING THE APPROPRIATE STREETS TO INCREASE PARKING EFFICIENCY, IF YOU'RE WALKING WITH A MEASURING STICK, WITH MY LITTLE WHEEL, PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ?" SO, I GET TO TALK TO PEOPLE, AND THEY ALL BASICALLY SAY, IF A LOT OF THESE STREET WERE STRIKED, LIKE, THEY HAVE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND OTHER PLACES.PEOPLE WOULD PARK, INSTEAD OF PARKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE THING, THEY WOULD PARK HERE AND THEN HERE, AND IT WOULD ALSO PREVENT PEOPLE, STRIPE IT OFF SO THAT THEY CAN'T PARK WITHIN 20 FEET OF THE CROSS WALK. AND THERE ARE NO ARGUMENTS IF SOMEONE WERE TO GET A TICKET. YOU PUT IN A T OR AN L WITH WHITE PAINT AND THAT IS A LOT LESS INTRUSIVE ON THE STREETS AND IT'S CHEAPER AND EASIER. YOU CAN EXPAND PARKING. WE TALKED ABOUT BROOME STRSTREET, LACHUA STREET, AND FRONT STREET, AND 7TH STREET. AND FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO GET A SENSE TONIGHT, IF NOBODY'S INTERESTED IN PAID PARKING, WE COULD STOP TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PAID PARKING, WHAT IT WOULD DO IS CREATE A TURNOVER IN THOSE, WHERE EVER YOU WANTED THERE TO BE TURNOVER. AND NUMBER TWO, IT WOULD CREATE REVENUE FOR TAKING CARE OF DOWNTOWN, BUT, IF THE POLITICAL WILL IS NOT THERE TO DO IT, THEN, LET'S MOVE ON. THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON THIS, I CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER INFORMATION BUT, I THINK THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS, THANK YOU.
>> MAYOR BEAN: ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER
ANTUN? >> YEAH, LOOKING AT THE E-MAIL FROM COMMISSIONER ROSS ON MAY 22ND, TO INTERIM CHIEF JEFFREY TAMBASCO, WE HAVE OUR BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THE COST WOULD BE TO LOOK INTO ENFORCING IF PAID PARKING WAS AN APPETITE TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT'S ALMOST A NET $100,000 INVESTMENT.
>> THAT'S NOT PAID PARKING. >> THAT'S FOR EN FORCING THE
THREE-HOUR PARKING. >> YEAH. AND WHAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, AND STAFF MAY HAVE THE ANSWER FOR ME, BETTER THAN I DO.
AND IN MY OPINION, THAT'S MORE REACTIVE THAN TO ENFORCE THE THREE-HOUR RULE INSTEAD OF SETTING A LIMIT AND PAY MORE TIME. IF THE COST BENEFIT RATIO WOULD COUNTER ACT, WHETHER IT'S METERS, YOU HOW IT'S EXECUTED. I'M WILLING TO ENTERTAIN A DISCUSSION ABOUT PAID PARKING ESPECIALLY IN THE 600 LITTLE
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COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER AYSCUE.>> I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY PEMPLOYEES ON AVERAGE, JUS TO OPERATE DOWNTOWN, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE EMPLOYEES. SO, WHETHER THEY'RE NOT PARKING IN FRONT OR NOT, HOW MANY OF THE SPACES ARE BEING EATEN UP JUST STRICTLY FROM EMPLOYEES ALONE, SO THAT WE KNOW.
>> IT'S A REALLY HARD NUMBER TO COME BY BECAUSE IT'S FLUID AND IT CHANGES. IT CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. YOUR SERVING STAFF COMES IN AND THEY GO OUT. IT'S TOTALLY FLUID, BUT, IT'S PROBABLY 10 OR 20%. I CAN TELL YOU AT PARKING LOT A AND B, THEY'RE FULL AT 9:00 A.M. I RIDE MY BIKE THROUGH THERE ALL
THE TIME. >> MAYOR BEAN: LET'S LET COMMISSIONER AYSCUE FINISH HIS POINT.
>> I GET, IT'S FLUID, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOME RESTAURANTS MAY ONLY OPEN FOR DINNER. SOME ARE OPEN JUST FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH. I GET THAT'S FLUID, BUT, I WAS TRYING TO HAMMER DOWN WHAT NUMBER THAT WOULD BE, SO, WE HAVE LET'S SAY, 1800 PARKING SPACES, I'M JUST GUESSTIMATING, 400 OR 600 OF THEM ARE EMPLOYEES, SO, THEN OUR NUMBER'S NOW SHORTER, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOWER NUMBER FOR PUBLIC PARKING. THE POINT OF MY DISCUSSION WAS TO SAY, HEY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP OUT OUR BUSINESSES WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES? IS THERE A PLACE THAT WE CAN, OPEN UP, OR, JUST YOU KNOW, BE EMPLOYEE PARKING-ONLY, WOULD THEY BE WILLING TO DO SO? I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S ONE. ON THE ISSUE OF PAID PARKING, I'M NOT FOR PAID PARKING. IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE THAT WE GET DOWN. IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M PERSONALLY WILLING TO ENTERTAIN. AND, I THINK YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT TRYING TO RESTRICT THE 3-HOUR THING.
MOST OF THE PLACES THAT I GO THAT HAVE PAID PARKING, SPECIFICALLY, TALLAHASSEE, IT'S ON AN APP, YOU LOG ON, YOU PAY, AND IT STARTS TO TICK DOWN AND IT SENDS YOU NOTIFICATIONS ON WHETHER YOU WANT TO STAY LONGER, YOU HIT A BUTTON, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO HELP GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THERE WITHIN THE THREE-HOURS. IT'S EASIER TO HAVE PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO PAY WHEN YOU NEED THE SPOT. ENFORCEMENTS IN OTHER WAYS, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE THAT TO SEE IF WE COULD DO THAT.
BUT, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS THERE.
>> MAYOR BEAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. AND
VICE-PRESIDENT IS YOUR LIGHT ON? >> IT IS NOW, MAYOR. IT IS DEFINITELY A SLIPPERY SLOPE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PAID PARKING MANY TIMES. I KNOW IF YOU ASKED EVERY ONE OF THOSE POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE, THEY WOULD TELL YOU THAT WE NEED PAID PARKING. HOWEVER, THE APPETITE IN THE POLITICAL AREA, IS THAT IT'S POLITICAL SUICIDE. SO, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY IT, I'M NOT AFRAID TO SAY IT, DO I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR OUR CITY? YES. I DO THINK IT'S A GOOD THING FOR OUR CITY, TO SUPPORT ALL THE TOURISTS THAT COME DOWN HERE, THEY WOULD PAY TO PARK. DO I THINK THAT WE NEED A SYSTEM WHERE OUR, UM, RESIDENTS WHO ALREADY PAY HEFTY TAX BILL COULD BENEFIT AND NOT HAVE TO PAY PARKING, THAT'S HARD TO REGULATE. HOWEVER, THIS COULD GO ON FOR A LONG TIME, BUT, NOBODY'S WILLING TO MAKE THAT JUMP AND SAY, "LET'S DO IT". IN MY OPINION, STEP NUMBER ONE IS I KIND OF WANT TO KNOW WHY WE'RE NOT ENFORCING OUR 3-HOUR RULE RIGHT NOW. SO, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT TO THE CITY MANAGER, CHARLIE, AND ASK HIM DIRECTLY.
>> I THINK THE PRIMARY REASON IS ONE, STAFF, BEING ABLE TO CHECK EVERY CAR OUT THERE EVERY THREE HOURS TO SEE IF THEY'VE MOVED. THAT TAKE AS PRETTY ROBUST PROCESS TO GET THROUGH.
BECAUSE, IF THE CAR HASN'T MOVED AND IT'S THREE HOURS, THEN WE KNOW HE'S BEEN THERE THREE HOURS. THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD
DO IT IS CHALK TIRES. >> THE SUPREME COURT SAYS NO.
>> WHAT WOULD BE THE COST ON OUR GRID DOWN HERE OF INSTALLING
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AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM WITH SIGNS AND AN APP, THAT THE FIRST THREE HOURS IS FREE, ONCE YOU HIT THE 3-HOUR MARK, THEN YOU GETCHARGED? >> THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD SEE HOW THAT COULD WORK AND I'M NOT AN EXPERT, BUT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE LICENSE PLATE, SOMETHING THAT SCANNED THE LICENSE PLATE AND IT SAYS, IT'S BEEN THERE THREE
HOURS. >> WELL, THEY ENTER IT INTO THE SYSTEM. SO, WE WOULD NEED AN EMPLOYEE THAT COMES BY AND READS
IT. >> THAT WALKS DOWNTOWN EVERY
>> OR, EVERY HOUR BECAUSE IT'S STACKED.
>> IT'S ABOUT $100,000. >> MAYOR BEAN: BECAUSE, A
FULL-TIME, DEDICATED EMPLOYEE. >> YEAH.
>> MAYOR BEAN: WELL, UM, IF THE FINANCIAL, IF IT FINANCIALLY MADE SENSE FOR US NOT TO LOSE MONEY AND PERFORM THAT TASK, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF ENFORCING OUR RULES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY,
TO START WITH. >> MAYOR BEAN: COMMISSIONER
ROSS, IS YOUR LIGHT ON? >> WHENEVER YOU ARE DONE.
>> PERSONALLY, I WOULD GET RID OF THE 3-HOUR PARKING. EITHER HAVE PAID PARKING OR NOT. 3-HOUR PARKING IS JUST GOING TO COST, YOU WANT TO GO THE ROLL B ROLLBACK RATE, WE'RE GOING TO GO ANOTHER 100, TO $150,000, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM. WHAT I HAD IS THERE'S 1800 PARKING SPACES IF YOU'RE WILLING TO WALK A BLOCK OR TWO, YOU COULD ALWAYS PARK. I LIVE THREE BLOCKS FROM DOWNTOWN, I CAN WALK TO ANY RESTAURANT DOWNTOWN IN 10 MINUTES. ON MY STREET. ON MY STREET, THERE ARE, 28 PARKING SPACES. IT'S ROUTINELY GOT FOUR OR FIVE CARS ON THERE, MY NEIGHBORS AND ME, MY TRUCK SITS THERE, ON SATURDAY NIGHT, EXCEPT FOR THE 10 NIGHTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, IT'S EMPTY. SO, HOW DO YOU GET EMPLOYEES FOR THE RESTAURANTS AND SO ON TO GO PARK THERE, THEY DON'T WANT TO GO WALKING OUT LATE AT NIGHT, AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM.
THERE'S PLENTY OF PLACES YOU COULD DO PERIPHERAL PARKING, YOU COULD DO IT AT CENTRAL PARK OR THE SCHOOL BOARD, BUT, THEN YOU HAVE TO GET A WAY TO GO BACK AND FORTH, THAT COSTS MONEY AND TIME AND THERE'S A SAFETY ISSUE, PARTICULARLY, PEOPLE THAT GET OFF AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SO, I WOULD, RIGHT NOW, ADVISE THAT WE GET RID OF THE 3-HOUR PARKING AND TAKE DOWN THE SIGNS BECAUSE IT'S NOT ENFORCED, IT'S NOT USED, AND IT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING. AND IF YOU WANTED TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE IT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE WILLING TO SPEND OVER $100,000 A YEAR PLUS THE COST OF EQUIPMENT. AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO THE OTHER THINGS AND I HOPE THERE'S CON OCCURRENCE ON STRIKING THE
STREET. >> MAYOR BEAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ROSS. THE LAST CALL.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT, ASSUMING, IF 680 SPOTS WERE TO BE PAID SPOTS AND EQUATE EASY NUMBERS HERE, THAT 3-HOUR RULE, IF IT WERE $10 TO PARK THERE, THAT'S A LITTLE OVER 2250 AN HOUR, GENERATED. I'M JUST SAYING, WE COULD SWING THIS IN THE DIRECTION OF MAKING MONEY, FIXING DOWNTOWN AS COMMISSIONER ROSS MENTIONED, HAVING THE FUNDS TO IMPROVE DOWNTOWN, AT THE SMALL CONCESSION THAT SOME SPOT ARE PAID AND THAT WE DO HAVE TO DRIVE A BIT, AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE CAN BE CREATIVE ABOUT NON-PAID LOTS AND HOW WE CAN HAVE A CONCESSION FOR CITY RESIDENTS TO OVERRIDE THAT FEE IF THAT'S NOT TOO COMPLICATED. BUT, I THINK THE NUMBERS, THEY
COULD MAKE SENSE. >> MAYOR BEAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. ALL RIGHT. SO, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT. WE PUT OUT THE CALL FOR A PARKING DOWNTOWN TOWN HALL, AND WE HAD A LOT OF GREAT BUSINESSES THAT SHOWED UP AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME COMING AND MAKING YOUR VOICES HEARD. AND HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE MY OWN POSITION AND I'M OPPOSED TO PAID PARKING. AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT'S THE WRONG PATH FOR OUR CITY. I BELIEVE THAT. AND, I, THE REASONS WHY I DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD. SOME OF SOME ARE THAT I DON'T THINK THE COST BENEFIT IS THERE, I THINK IT WILL DRIVE PEOPLE AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES WHERE THERE'S FREE OPTIONS JUST DOWN THE ROAD. I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A HARSH HIT TO PEPPERS, WHEN
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CANTINA LOUIS IS DOWN THE STREET. AS HE POINTED OUT, THERE'S A LOT BY THE COURT HOUSE THAT NO ONE KNOW SUNSHINE AVAILABLE PARKING AND THAT WOULD BE 11 MORE SPOTS IF PEOPLE.>> 10. >> MAYOR BEAN: I ADDED ONE, I WAS TOO OPTIMISTIC. BUT, WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, I THINK THAT WE TAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION OF DOING SOME ADDITIONAL LINING WORK, AND MAKING SURE THOSE ADDITIONAL SPOTS ARE KNOWN BY THE PUBLIC, THAT WAY WE HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO FIT MORE PEOPLE IN THE SPOTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. AND I ALSO THINK THAT, WITHOUT PAYING MONEY, WITHOUT SPENDING THE $100,000 TO HAVE SOFTWARE, THERE'S A WAY TO MORE ENFORCE THE 3-HOUR LIMIT THAN WE CURRENTLY ARE. THERE'S, YES, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY OBVIOUS THAT CAR WILL PARK THERE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, BUT, IN THAT CASE, MAY BE WE LOOK AT ENFORCING. MAY BE WE CAN DO THAT OR MAY BE WE CAN'T, BUT, I WOULD LIKE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT OPTION. COMMISSIONER ROSS?
>> LET'S HAVE THAT DISCUSSION NOW, IF YOU'RE HERE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, GET UP AND TELL US WHY YOU CAN'T ENFORCE THAT. I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2002, IT DOESN'T WORK. THEY CAN'T ENFORCE IT. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH NUMEROUS OFFICERS, THEY CAN'T ENFORCE IT. THEY CAN'T CHALK TIRES, YOU GOT TO GET A LICENSE PLATE READER, IT TAKES A FULL-TIME, DEDICATED OFFICER, THERE'S ONLY FIVE POLICE OFFICERS AND THEY'VE GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH THEIR TIME. THE DESIGN IS TO NOT GET THE OWNERS OR THE WORKER BEES TO PARK THERE. MAY BE THE BUSINESSES, WE NEED TO WORK WITH THEM SO THAT THEY COULD PARK SOMEWHERE ELSE. THAT'S THE THING. THE MARINA, GOING TO THE MARINA, IT'S PARKED OUT BEFORE MOST OF THESE CUSTOMERS SHOW UP.
UM, BECAUSE, IT'S PARKED OUT WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE.
ALL THE BUSINESSES. I MEAN, GO LOOK AT THE TRUCKS. AND SO, I'M FOR GETTING RID OF THE 3-HOUR PARKING. I THINK IT'S SIGN CLUTTER, I DON'T THINK IT'S EFFECTIVE, AND, UM, THAT'S WHAT I THINK. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE KEEP DOING WHAT DOESN'T WORK.
>> MAYOR BEAN: COMMISSIONER ROSS, WE ALSO HAVE SIGNS UP IN OUR CITY RIGHT NOW THAT SAY "NO ENGINE BRAKING". WE CAN'T ENFORCE THOSE SIGNS. THE SIGNS SIMPLY SAY "NO ENGINE BRAKING".
AND WE HOPE THAT WHEN PEOPLE SEE THEM, THEY WILL NOT ENGINE BRAKE. AND THE IDEAL SITUATION IS THAT PEOPLE DO PARK IN THESE SPOTS FOR LESS THAN THREE HOURS. FOR THAT REASON, I THINK THAT THE SIGNS BEING THERE OFFER A POSSIBLE PATH FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THOSE AND IF THEY YOU KNOW, CHOOSE NOT TO PARK THERE FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS, IT'S HELPFUL FOR ALL. I THINK COMMISSIONER STURGES HAS HIS LIGHT ON.
>> BRIEFLY, WHAT WOULD BE THE EXPENSE TO OPERATE A SHUTTLE FOR WORKERS, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A RADICAL AMOUNT OF HOURS FOR BUSH BUSINESSES, BUT, IF WE WORKED AND EVERYONE KNEW THE SCHEDULE AND WE HAD ONE PERSON OPERATE A GIANT GOLF CART OR WHATEVER IT IS, AND WELCOME FIGURE IT OUT TO SOMEWHERE LIKE CENTRAL PARK, AND MOST WORKERS WOULD DRIVE THERE AND GET SHUTTLED TO WHERE EVER THEY NEED TO BE FOR WORK. AND THEY WOULD PLAN ON BEING 10 OR 15 MINUTES BEFORE THEIR SCHEDULED WORK TIME. IT'S NOT LIKE THERE WOULD BE A SECURITY ISSUE. AND ONLY RUN IT FOR CERTAIN HOUR ARES, THEN THAT WOULD RELIEVE IF YOU GOT THE BUSINESS WORKERS, OR THE MAJORITY OF THEM ON BOARD, IT WOULD RELIEVE SOME OF THE PARKING DOWNTOWN. THAT'S JUST AN IDEA, I DON'T KNOW OF WHAT IT WOULD COST, BUT, THAT'S AN IDEA OF WHAT WE COULD DO TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURE THAT DOESN'T GO INTO A WHOLE NEW SYSTEM.
>> MAYOR BEAN: ADVICE MAYOR, THINK IF WE BRANDED IT CORRECTLY, THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH PARKING RIDE FOR EMPLOYEES. IF THERE WAS A PLACE WHERE GOLF CART OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD DROP THEM OFF TO THE FRONT DOOR OF THEIR BUSINESS AND BACK TO THEIR CAR, THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR THAT TO WORK, BUT, IT WOULD BE AN UPHILL BATTLE.
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>> WHY NOT PIGGY BACK WITH SOMEONE THAT HAS A SYSTEM ALREADY IN PLACE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT THAN
CREATING A NEW SYSTEM. >> MAYOR BEAN: UNDERSTOOD.
COMMISSIONER ROSS ONCE AGAIN. >> SO, WHAT'S THE CONSENSUS ABOUT THE 3-HOUR PARKING? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW. WE HAVE IDEAS, BUT, WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANT TO DO?
>> MAYO >> WELL, FOR ME, I KEIND OF AGREE WITH THE MAYOR THERE, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT IT WOULD BE A DETERRENT FOR MOST TOURISTS. I THINK MOST OF THE RESIDENTS KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ENFORCED, BUT, THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE, OUR TOURISM INDUSTRY, THEY WILL SEE THE SIGN AND SAY, OKAY, I ONLY HAVE THREE HOURS AND THEY WILL MOVE. I MEAN, IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ENFORCED. BUT, UM, IF THAT'S FISCALLY ATTAINABLE, THEN, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE COULD GO FROM THERE, BUT, I WOULD RATHER START TO WORK IN THAT DIRECTION THAN TRYING TO ENFORCE THAT THREE HOURS. AND I THINK ONCE THAT BECAME A REALITY THAT IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE ENFORCED, THEN, I THINK THAT WE'LL SEE THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, BOTH FROM EMPLOYEES AND FROM THE LOCALS THAT KNOW IT'S NOT
NORMALLY ENFORCED. >> THAT MAKES SENSE. AND I THINK COMMISSIONER ROSS, MAKES A GOOD POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, INTERIM CHIEF JEFFREY TAMBASCO, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THIS, WHAT ARE THE WAY TOSS ENFORCE THIS AND WHAT THE COSTS WERE, IF YOU COULD BREAK THAT DOWN FOR THE ROOM, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY
APPRECIATE IT. >> CHIEF TAMBASCO.
>> WE WOULD GET NOTICES WHEN IT'S EXCEEDING THE 3 HOURS AS WE DRIVE THROUGH, WHATEVER PARKING AREA IT TAKES THE SAME VEHICLE, AND THE SAME PERSON TO DO THAT 7-DAYS A WEEK WOULD REQUIRE MORE PEOPLE, MORE EQUIPMENT, AND IT'S FISCALLY NOT FEASIBLE AT THIS POINT FOR US TO DO THAT. WE DID, AT ONE POINT TRY TO DO A VIDEO CAMERA, AND WE HAD A PERSON WALKING DOWNTOWN WITH VIDEO CAMERAS WITH A DATE AND TIME STAMP AND THAT TURNED OUT TO BE AN EFFICIENT WAY TO DO IT. THE ONLY TRUE EFFICIENT WAY WOULD BE THE LICENSE PLATE READER WITH THE TRUE GPS ON IT.
>> THE ACTUAL LPR SYSTEM IS 45 TO $50,000, THEN YOU HAVE TO OUTFIT THE VEHICLES AND BUY A COMPUTER TO OPERATE IT AND HIRE
A FULL-TIME PERSON DO THAT. >> MAYOR BEAN: THANK YOU,
CHIEF, VICE MAYOR? >> SO, BRIEFLY, JEFF, IT'S NOT JUST A ONE-TIME COST OF $100,000, BUT, IT'S ALSO ANOTHER
>> WHO WOULD HAVE DONE THIS PREVIOUSLY, MARK TIRES OR DO
WHATEVER? >> WE DO HAVE A PART-TIME PERSON THAT WORKS A FEW HOURS A DAY THAT WAS INITIALLY HIRED FOR THAT, BUT, THEN WHEN WE COPED MARK TIRES ANYMORE, THAT PERSON'S RESPONSIBILITIES WERE REALLOCATED, BUT, WE COULD VERY EASILY REALLOCATE THAT PERSON BACK TO IT.
>> AT ONE POINT, WE HAD A PART-TIME PERSON THAT WOULD BE FULL-TIME, OR TWO FULL HAD BEEN TIME PEOPLE, CORRECT?
>> CORRECT. >> I'M IN FAVOR OF ENFORCING IT. I'M IN FAVOR OF FINDING THE MONEY TO BUY THE SYSTEM AND ENFORCING THE 3-HOUR TIME LIMIT. I OBVIOUSLY THINK THAT THE COST BENEFIT WILL PAY OUT EVENTUALLY. AND, IF THE AIR CHANGES AT SOME OTHER POINT, THE SAME SYSTEM WOULD DO PAID PARKING, CORRECT?
>> YES, SIR. THERE'S A POSSIBILITY.
>> NOT TO SAY THAT I WANT PAID PARKING, BUT, THE 3-HOUR WINDOW WOULD BE THERE AND WE COULD ENFORCE IT, LEGALLY. CORRECT?
>> CORRECT. >> OKAY. THAT'S ALL THE
QUESTIONS. >> NOW, THE NEXT STEP ON THIS?
COMMISSIONER AYSCUE? >> JUST, QUICKLY T SINCE
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COMMISSIONER ROSS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF SURVEYING WHEN PARKING IS THE MOST AVAILABLE. THE WHOLE IMPACT OF THE COSTS, WE COULD REDUCE IF WE WERE ONLY NECESSARILY ENFORCING DURING THE TIMES IT WAS WORSE. I MEAN, IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY, DO WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY PATROLLING THAT?>> NO. >> PROBABLY NOT. SO, WE COULD PROBABLY ZERO IN ON THE TIMES THAT TEST MOST BUSY AND REDUCE THE COST ON THAT END INSTEAD OF IT BEING CONSTANT, WE KNOW WHEN WE NEED TO GET IN THERE AND ENFORCE IT. SO, I WAS MAKE THE SUGGESTION IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ENFORCEMENT, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MANAGE THE FISCAL IMPACT, THEN, LET'S LOOK
AT THE TIMES IT'S MOST BUSY. >> MAYOR BEAN: GOOD POINT, COMMISSIONER AYSCUE. COMMISSIONER ROSS?
>> THE TIMES IT'S MOST BUSY ARE ALL YEAR LONG NOW. I'VE BEEN DOWNTOWN FOR 10 YEARS, 10 YEARS AGO, I COULD GO INTO ANY BAR, ANY RESTAURANT ANY DAY, AND GET A TABLE. AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE. IT'S NOT THE TIME OF YEAR, IT'S THE DAY. I MEAN, DURING THE WEEK DAYS, BUT, CERTAIN PARTS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I MEAN, IT SATURDAY'S,'S PANDEMONIUM, YOU OUGHT TO DO WHAT I DID. YOU SEE PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND AND AROUND, AND WHAT THIS IS GOING TO DO IS PUSH PEOPLE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS. YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS GET THE PEOPLE WHO WORK HERE, NOT PARK THERE.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO PAID PARKING, DO PAID PARKING, THIS 3-HOUR RULE, I DON'T THINK HELPS THE COMMUNITY ONE IOTA. IT WAS ADOPTED IN THE '60S, WHY NOT DO THE SAME THREE-HOUR RULE OUT IN PARKING LOT A AND B, WHICH IT WAS ORIGINALLY DONE IF YOU WANTED TURNOVER, BECAUSE, THOSE ARE PRIME PLACES. MY VIEW ON THIS IS THE 3-HOUR IS PAST IT'S TIME. IF YOU WANT TO DO PAID PARKING, I GET THE SENSE THERE ARE TWO OF US HERE THAT WOULD DO PAID PARKING, THREE WOULD NOT. I'M NOT LOOKING INTO IT ANYMORE, BUT, I WOULD GET RID OF THE 3-HOUR PARKING RULE, I THINK IT'S PUNITIVE TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S NOT ACCOMPLISHING
ANYTHING. >> MAYOR BEAN: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER AYSCUE, WOULD YOU LIKE A WORD BEFORE WRAPPING THIS
UP? >> MAYOR BEAN: WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE CLOSING IT OUT, AND TWO ACTION ITEMS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM CITY STAFF, IS NUMBER ONE, LET'S WORK ON THE LS, AND THE TS, AS COMMISSIONER ROSS PUT IT ON LINING THE SPOTS, AND MAKING SURE THAT THE SPOTS ARE DESIGNATED IN THE AREA. AND FINALLY, GET A QUOTE ON WHAT IT WOULD COST TO ENFORCE, THE CHIEF HAS PUT TOGETHER A PRELIMINARY, LET'S SEE WHAT THE HARD NUMBERS LOOK LIKE. COMMISSIONER ROSS BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT, WHAT DO YOU
HAVE? >> ONE FURTHER THING, CAN WE HAVE STAFF LOOK AT WHERE NOT TO PARK FOR SAFETY REASONS, TO SEE WHERE EMERGENCY VEHICLES CAN GET THROUGH.
>> STAFF HAS JUMPED THE GUN, WE'RE GETTING PROPOSALS ON THE LS, AND TS, THIS WEEK? SO, WE WERE ALREADY MOVING FORWARD WITH
THAT. >> MAYOR BEAN: THANK YOU, FOR BEING PROACTIVE, STAFF. I APPRECIATE YOU.
>> AND WE DO KNOW WHERE THE SAFETY AREAS ARE AND WE'LL
STRIKE THOSE. >> MAYOR BEAN: APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. WITH THAT, WE WILL TAKE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.