The Flagler Beach Planning Board embraced an idea proposed by downtown business owners to impose two-hour parking limits in a small area downtown that is typically overrun by people parking for hours at a time, sometimes all day, preventing the sort of turnover traffic that helps businesses thrive. The board is forwarding the proposal to the City Commission and urging it to consider it.
The two-hour zone would be in effect from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., stretching along commercial zones between State Road 100 and South 3rd Street, between State Road A1A and South Daytona Avenue. Parking would remain free. It would not be policed by the city but by a private contractor, and signs would be paid for by some of the local businesses.
“It’s a great idea, and I think it’s something to get the ball rolling,” Planning Board Chair Suzie Johnston said, recommending that the idea be forwarded to the Flagler Beach City Commission for discussion at its upcoming strategic planning, or goal-setting, sessions.
Ted Barnhill, owner of Barnhill Cafe Bar and Grill, across the street from City Hall on 2nd Street, and of numerous properties in the city, including a small apartment complex, outlined the idea to the Planning Board earlier this month. At the time, 13 businesses had signed on to the proposal, which dovetails new paid-parking ideas the City Commission is developing.
“The context where there did seem to be support for the consideration is in line with this request that’s before you,” City Attorney Drew Smith told the planning board, the context being paid parking to “keep people moving, and so you don’t have a car that’s sitting in a parking spot for eight hours.”
Barnhill spoke for the coalition of downtown businesses. He said parking is already a challenge in the few blocks south of State Road 100 because of ongoing construction of the 100-room Margaritaville hotel. It’ll be more of a challenge when the hotel opens, bringing guests and employees and their cars.
“Without short-term parking, many potential customers cannot frequent businesses,” Barnhill said. “The businesses are damaged, the customers are inconvenienced, particularly if they’re older, if they’re handicapped. They just sometimes are unable to access the various opportunities here in our town that are actually growing pretty substantially, once the new hotel and the new pier open up. We believe that the short-term parking problems, absent some action to moderate those problems, will get significantly worse. They’re already terrible.”
He said the city has studied the problem for 20 years but done nothing. The commission has appointed advisory committees, hired consultants and generated reports, but little more. The two-hour proposal would not be costly, and could generate some revenue (through ticketing of violators).
Initially Johnston raised questions about the cost of signs and enforcement, which would be impossible by the city’s police officers.
“The reality of that is we as a city have no way of enforcing it,” Smith said. No tags can be run through databases outside of criminal investigations, “so it’s not like we can go down the street running tags.” (In fact, local law enforcement does just that at times with its license plate readers, but not to enforce parking rules.)
Dimitri Bourtzakis, owner of Beachside Gyro, the two-year-old restaurant on South 2nd Street, said he was willing to pay for signs. “It’s a deterrent for people to stay longer than two hours, thinking they might get a ticket,” he said. “So you don’t really have to police it, as long as the sign’s up there. People are pretty respectful.” Then he suggested that both he and Barnhill would put up the money, “if it’s the money that’s the problem.” (Barnhill confirmed he’d be willing to contribute.)
The several people who addressed the Planning Board, among them City Commissioner Rick Belhumeur (who will again hear the proposal at tonight’s meeting of the commission), were enthusiastic about it, at least as a spur to a more elaborate, citywide approach. “Maybe those businesses that are taking from the parking pool in a direct vicinity could pay somebody to police it. That would be my suggestion. And I think it’s a pretty good idea, actually.”
Barnhill supports contracting policing. The city would have to work out how to handle the revenue from ticketing, which could generate “substantial revenue,” Barnhill said. “Hopefully, the revenue doesn’t last long, because people get tired of paying 100 bucks and they just comply with the two-hour parking.”
Jackie Buckingham of the Flagler Tea Company, which has been at its South Central location for 10 years, has seen parking worsen over those years. “Now that some of the parking is closed down, there’s more people coming to the area. We see all-day parkers there. They’ll come down, either go to work, work all day, or they’re going to the beach all day. They don’t frequent the businesses.”
There are seven designated parking lots, she said. The city needs to direct all-pay parkers to those lots, which cost nothing.
A two-hour maximum would “turn over more revenue for sales tax in the city,” Buckingham said. “It would turn over more people coming to visit and visitors to learn about our city, get to enjoy our city, instead of riding around three or four times looking for a parking space, getting frustrated because they can’t find one, and leave and not even visit Flagler Beach anymore because there’s such a parking problem.”
Barbara Revels, the Planning Board’s newest member, noted that most employees who work at the downtown businesses park in front of the businesses where they work. “It seems to me,” Revels said, “that if the business community were to band together and locate an employee-only parking area and have transportation, whether they were golf carts or whatever, there is a ton of parking that’s being taken up by staff and employees that could be useful. Just as a start. I don’t know about the hotel and the employees for that hotel, what they’re going to do.”
Johnston recommended that Revels’s idea be part of the proposal sent to the commission.
“It’s a great idea, but we can’t make a decision for the commission,” Johnston said. “We are at the beginning of the year. So we know that strategic planning is coming up to bring this, something like this, at strategic planning, to see where they’re at with the paid parking. Until they can figure out paid parking, this might be a good short term solution, especially if someone’s going to cover the cost of signs.”
Vicki Reider says
2 hour parking sounds like a really good idea
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Great idea but don’t forget to add a machine that can take dollar bills and give out coins. We will be happy to pay for your beautiful beach.
John says
I don’t go to the beach area nearly as much as I used to because I can never find parking. Something needs to be done and this sounds like maybe a good idea
Butch Naylor says
It would be nice if the planners and commissioners would take into consideration all of the businesses affected by a two hour parking limit.
Specifically, A+ Beauty Salon, located in the pink building 213 S. Second Street (with Yes Coffee). Many of the services they offer require longer than two hours to complete. Maybe a mirror hanger or a placard for the dashboard could be offered.
PeachesMcGee says
FB needs money.
Tax the tourists!
Puzzled says
I find it quite interesting that Barnhill is all in favor of it since their employees along with GOLA, are the ones parking all day on South Central and in the City Employee lot.
Concerned Citizen says
Make sure you enforce it evenly.
That means anyone working at businesses. And contractors working. No exceptions. Going to be interesting watching beach traffic die off. No one wants to go for just 2 hours.
Alyssa says
This is ridiculous! Our mall town got RUINED since the building of that eyesore they call a hotel. And it continues to get ruined by the mass amount of housing being put everywhere. When is it going to stop? Nobody wants this here besides the people whose pockets are getting lined. Everyone responsible for these things should be ASHAMED.
JimboXYZ says
The first baby step towards becoming South Beach Miami, FL. Only this is rather pathetic over reach with Margaritaville being the sole reason to start this foolishness. I’m on record that Flagler Beach needs to provide parking lots like Ponce Inlet => Ormond by the Sea has done when they seek to charge for the 18 miles of Flagler County Beach rebuilds like they are county-wide. As I understand the concept, SR-100 will be 1 lane in each direction, The 2 lanes will have parallel parking on both sides & a median in the middle with Palm trees that will need to be maintained. Ever look at the A1A center of the road storm drainage ? Overgrown with vegetation, not maintained. I guess Margaritaville will force at least SR-100 to be maintained ?
Makes me wonder if this is the brainstorm(fart) of the new City Manager in Flagler Beach (Dale Martin). I just recall a similar concept a few tears back in Fernandina Beach for Sadler Road to build islands of plants that wouldn’t be maintained in Nassau County. They did settle on grassy islands there. Take your pick, grass or weeds, still will cost more to maintain. Speed limit will change there to become school zone slow.
Shawn Neal says
Our city commissioners created a parking problem downtown and they want to fix it by charging people who park for over 2 hours. How about fixing it by going back to the original plan of not shutting down roads and parking because of the hotel. That frees up more parking spots and increase traffic flow. Hey city commissioners, when it comes to the hotel, you don’t need to keep cradling the balls as well. You can say no to things.
Greg says
We visit Flagler Beach all the time and parking is a killer. Many Tim’s just look, ant ask and head ba k to PC. I think the 2 hour lint is a fantastic idea. They also NEED more handicap parking.
Maynard says
The idea is a good one, but will the residents be forced to move their cars? Cost, please.
Pogo says
@It’s a miracle
… 100 lbs of stuff in a shirt pocket; limited to one per lifetime; don’t be disappointed — get yours now.
FLF says
We’re building a new iconic pier that is guaranteed to draw lots of people who will fish longer than two hours. Where’s the new parking garage going to be built to support this? It is quite amazing that the vision of local government stops at the end of their noses. So we build a new hotel that no locals will be using but the tourists get their parking spot. Brilliant!
Jean says
This requires hiring meter readers or people to Mark tires, I know from working in downtown Annapolis for over a decade. It’s sort of like the toll takers, hiring more people costs money. And why wasn’t the parking dilemma thought of before the hotel was approved?
Columba Denvir says
The problem is not new. In the thirty years since building a home here, parking downtown has always been tight. Since this was a known fact why was this not a main consideration when granting hotel construction on one of the main thoroughfares? With all of the vacant/for sale lots that were available throughout the years, why didn’t the city purchase some of these lots and provide for parking? Even if these lots were priced on the high side it would have been great planning for future use.
I suggest the city buy up the rest of the available lots on A1A and Central Ave and turn them into public metered parking. Do a cost study to crunch the numbers. It may work.
Nancy N. says
We rarely go to Flagler Beach as it is because parking is a PITA. Now they want to add fear of a parking ticket into the mix and having to watch the clock while I’m there? Forget it. I have plenty of options to go elsewhere without that stress.
another Concerned Citizen says
I understand the intention behind trying to improve things, but who really wants to go to the beach for just two hours? By the time you unload your stuff, set up, and then pack up to head back to your car, you barely get an hour of actual beach time. People typically go to the beach for the whole day, especially on holidays, so limiting parking like this could really kill the mood. I know that if I had a two-hour parking spot, I’d probably spend more time getting settled than actually enjoying the beach, which defeats the purpose of a relaxing day at the coast.
Even though it might seem like a good idea on paper, I feel like this will end up hurting local businesses. If people don’t feel like they have enough time to enjoy the beach, they may skip the trip altogether. The vibe of a beach day is about spending time without feeling rushed, and this kind of change just adds unnecessary pressure. It’s a tough balance, but I think it could end up backfiring in the long run.
celia pugliese says
Courtesy of FB planning administrators, or..?
Tyler durden says
Hospitality workers will now be limited to 2 hour shifts.
Enjoy the pay cut!
I almost forsee a booming Scooter rental business if those comes to pass.
Richard says
Is Mr Barnhill going to allow his employees to leave shift every 2 hours to move their car? The fact the anyone would even entertain anything that comes out of his mouth shows why FB is where it is.. going downhill quickly
Richard says
Why not offer shuttle service from the Wadsworth Park to the beachside. It can be free, paid for by parking meters on beachside. Those that want to pay can park beachside. The rest can take a short shuttle over the bridge. Creates a few jobs and alleviates the parking issue
Kim says
Sorry, I don’t understand why we’re not just biting the bullet and having paid parking. In the past, the argument has been that the cost is too high to administer. But…….most other beaches are doing this, so really? What’s the cost to monitor two hour parking? FB residents could have a pass?
Also, seems like a great idea for businesses, who want “turnover traffic”, but it maybe doesn’t sound that attractive the actual residents.
No Political Affiliation says
I live here and when my family goes to the beach we spend all day there. We spend hours swimming, we all have fishing licenses, fishing is time consuming. If any limit is imposed on how much time we can park, we will simply go somewhere else. There’s a LOT of beaches within 30 minutes of Flagler and there are no limits imposed, completely free parking with no chance of getting a ticket.
Good luck with that Flagler Beach.
Wow says
These businesses complaining are the same ones that were gung-ho for the hotel, to increase business? Nothing comes without a cost. Remote parking with shuttles or some kind of parking fee are going to have to do it. Don’t forget the restaurants that always have huge overflow parking on side streets.
Just say'n says
No fee for residents period!locals who have lived here for years must be fed up,it always more this more that fee fee fee,you live by the beach but can’t access it.You open a business but not required to have parking,remember elected officials made this problem and you voted for them so I guess you can choke on it.
Joe D says
Reply to Peaches McGee—
Yes, tax the tourists…however, the Florida Speaker of the House wants to LOWER the State Sales tax from 6% to 5.25%…losing $5 billion in tax revenue each year. Sounds good, until you realize that all the mouse ears, wizard wands and sun tan lotion, etc. those pesky tourists buy most of the year will be discounted too…and there will be less money for roads, storm debris removal, schools and water treatment…
I think there needs to be profit making PAID PARKING, with the forward planning for a 3 story paid parking garage(s)…as suggested by a previous commentator, who suggested buying some “close by” vacant lots. I do agree there needs to be SOME designated 2 hour parking in the shops and Resturant blocks. I live too far up A1A to be able to reasonably walk to downtown. But maybe that could be my fitness goal 😉
Mischa Gee says
When FB approved Margaritaville without requiring them to have adequate parking spaces for their staff and guest rooms they were creating a monster, and they knew it.
It was brought up repeatedly and they ignored it. Now they will either have to build a Paid parking garage, which will be another eyesore, or have metered parking, without a time limit. If you limit anyone’s time in a parking space there is Zero Incentive to come downtown to walk around at a leisurely pace while shopping and exploring or dining out.
You’re making downtown available only to people with deep pockets, and we actually outnumber them. Good luck now that you’re short sightedness is coming back to bite you.
jw says
Why wasn’t the commercial district expanded beyond South 4th Street to South 9th Street?