Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/87353
DOOM FOR ST. ARMANDS? St. Armands business owners want parking issues resolved before the holiday season, which tradi- tionally draws lots of visitors to the shopping district. Photo by Norman Schimmel BUSINESS OWNERS FRETTING ABOUT IMPACT OF PARKING REGULATIONS By Stan Zimmerman City Editor As the first decade of the St. Armands Busi- ness Improvement District draws to a close, property owners are increasingly concerned about parking. New restrictions had them shaking their heads during the Tuesday, Oct. 9, BID meeting. What was supposed to be a uniform policy of parking enforcement has turned into a hot topic. Several months ago, the Sarasota City Commission decided parking enforcement for downtown and St. Armands Circle should be treated equally. "We've had a tsunami of complaints about parking tickets," said Eric Seace with the St. Armands Circle Association. "If you move to another spot, you still get a ticket." The "uniform policy" works not according to how long a motorist parks in one space, but how long the car is in "the zone." "You cannot park for more than three hours at St. Armands," said Seace. "It's a three-hour zone, not a spot. Even if you move your car, you get a ticket." City Commissioner Terry Turner was present for the Oct. 9 meeting. "We decided several months ago to have con- sistent regulations across the city," he said. "These regulations at St. Armands are the