Commission sides against two-way Linley parking

It was the eighth meeting in the past 21 months in which the Longboat Key Town Commission discussed Longbeach Village parking. Suffice it to say there are more to come.

The commission voted in favor of proposed parking changes, plus added a new restriction eliminating parking on a to-be-determined side of Linley Street, while also resolving to revisit other parking issues throughout the neighborhood. Other restrictions in the ordinance include:

• No parking for the entire north side of Broadway Street from Palm Drive to Bayside Drive;

• No parking from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on the entire south side of Broadway from Palm Drive to Bayside Drive;

• No parking on the east side of the street on Lois Avenue between Broadway and Russell Street;

• No parking on the eastside of street on Poinsetta Drive between Broadway and Russell Street.

Village residents had worried at the Oct. 1 Longbeach Village Association meeting that proposed changes, which didn’t originally include banning parking on one side of Linley Street, wouldn’t go far enough.

Resident Michael Lightfoot and Village Association President Michael Drake expressed the same sentiment at the Oct. 6 meeting.

“Sooner or later a car’s gonna get sideswiped,” Lightfoot said.

Drake said that “overwhelmingly, everyone is in favor” of what’s going on but reminded commissioners that they hadn’t addressed Linley Street and other streets, such as Russell Street, in the neighborhood.

“I’m not saying you have to do it now, but why not now?” Drake said.

He described the situation as a life/safety issue, while acknowledging that he didn’t know of an incident in which an emergency vehicle could not access a road due to parking.

“It’s not if it happens,” Drake said. “It’s let’s not let it happen.”

Town Manager Dave Bullock challenged him on the characterization of parking as a life/safety issue.

“When someone says there’s a life/safety issue, you get laser focus,” he said, repeating for emphasis, “you get laser focus.”

Bullock said he has sent police and fire officials to the Village to report back on whether they can get their vehicles into the neighborhood.

“They’ll tell you it gets tight, there are issues and concerns, but never have they said there is a life/safety issue there and we can’t get in there,” he said.

Fire Rescue Chief Paul Dezzi confirmed that firefighter/paramedics had driven the area in an ambulance and firetruck and hadn’t had issues accessing the area.

Mayor Jim Brown, who met with Drake earlier to discuss the issue, urged commissioners to pass the ordinance to avoid further delay.

Commissioner Terry Gans said the ordinance wasn’t a perfect solution but spoke in support of it.

“This is a good starting point, and I think to knock it back does not really serve anything,” Gans said.

Town staff will evaluate parking and return with an ordinance that includes the side of Linley Street on which to eliminate parking. The commission will adopt the ordinance on second reading and public hearing at its Nov. 3 egular meeting. If the commission approves the ordinance, restrictions could take effect in November.

Alan Moore, co-owner of Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant, who proposed many of the changes, expressed optimism after Monday’s meeting.

“So far, it looks good,” he said. “They’ll get it fixed.”

Contact Robin Hartill at [email protected].