Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/146256
Sarasota News Leader July 26, 2013 Page 11 goal is to create a system that makes sense, p.m., and 98 percent are taken between 5 p.m. whether it is paid or not." and 8 p.m., arcana morphs into maddening frustration. That is the status of St. Armands This is Barwin's second plunge into parking Circle in the peak season, according to the hell. At his previous job, in Oak Park, IL, he Walker report. struggled with a $10 million deficit in the parking department. "We began to show progress The St. Armands Business Improvement Diswhen we created a parking benefits district. trict (BID) has commissioned a study specifBy the time I left, after three years of the dis- ically for the island to determine if a parking trict assisting in rates and planning, the deficit garage is needed. But the district's chairman, was down to $3 million," he said. Marty Rappaport, already knows the issue is not just about a garage. "If you want a parkIn other words, Oak Park was able to chop $7 ing garage, you're gonna have to swallow the million from its parking deficit in four years. meters." "We weren't striving to be a massive cash cow, but that's what parking garages are in private And since downtown Sarasota already has hands," said Barwin. two garages — with a third coming at State For a city, he added, "The profits can be Street — there is some "swallowing" coming plowed back into the district with landscaping to Main Street, too. or marketing. I'm thinking this may be some- For two areas of the city, the peak demand thing we might want to talk about, maybe run comes during the city's "off-season." Evening it by the City Commission." diners and strollers take up 91 percent of the Free parking on city streets in America is not spots on the city's bayfront parking areas, acjust rare, it is an anomaly. "I go all over the cording to Walker. And during lunchtime on state in my business," said committee mem- Fridays (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) a whopping 97 perber Carl Shoffstall of Lido Key. "You pay for cent of spots are occupied in Southside Village along Hillview Street. During the same parking everywhere." hours in the peak season, 75 percent of the Barwin left the meeting, much as he had en- spots are taken. tered it, with a message. "You know what the goal is. We're losing $500,000 a year down- Anything above 85 percent occupancy means desperate drivers looking for spaces. town." "The three highest occupancy levels are not THE STUDY downtown," said Lyons. "They are at St. ArEven without meters — with parking free mands, Southside Village and Marina Jack" — everywhere, public garages included — the or, as the report says, "Taken as a whole, St. city still has non-budgetary parking problems. Armands, South Village [sic] and the Marina Earlier this month, city staff received a study Districts experienced parking deficits, with St. conducted by Walker Parking Consultants; it Armands experiencing a significant parking pinpointed several hotspots. And not all were deficit." linked to the tourist season. The advisory committee will review the WalkParking is an arcane topic unless you are look- er report's recommendations at its next meeting for a spot. When 99 percent of the spots ing, on Aug. 28 at 3 p.m. in City Hall. The pubare taken on a Friday between 11 a.m. and 2 lic is welcome. %