The downtown parking problem has been talked about in city commission chambers for more than 21 years with no clear consensus on how to solve the issue.
Tuesday's City Commission discussion was just more of the same. In the end, the only action taken was to stripe 11 areas identified as parking spots near the courthouse. That's it.
3-hour parking
There was talk about enforcing the city's 3-hour parking limit. No one has ever been ticketed for violating the time limitation in recent years.
The cost to the city of enforcing 3-hour parking is about $100,000 for a license plate reader and the expense to staff the program.
"I'm willing to entertain paid parking in that 680 (parking) box if other commissioners are willing to support it," said Commissioner James Antun in considering enforcement of the 3-hour regulation.
Antun said the 680 spots at the 3-hour rule would generate $100,000 a week that could be used to make downtown improvements. "The numbers could make sense," Antun said.
Commissioner Darron Ayscue said enforcement of 3-hour parking is "another way. I'd like to explore that."
Vice Mayor David Sturges asked why the 3-hour limit wasn't being enforced.
Interim City Manager Charlie George said one problem was staff time.
"Being able to check every car every three hours to see if they've moved (is time intensive)." George said.
Commissioner Chip Ross said he was in favor of getting rid of the 3-hour parking.
"You mean you either are going to have paid parking or not have paid parking. I don't think enforcing it (3 hours) will solve the problem," Ross said. "Take down the signs, we're not enforcing it."
Sturges said he believes the cost benefit of enforcement would pan out.
"I'm in favor of finding the money and enforcing the 3 hour window," Sturges. "If this system doesn't pan out, this same system could be used for paid parking."
Mayor Bradley Bean called for staff to pencil out the exact cost of enforcing the 3-hour limit.
Paid Parking
Vice Mayor Sturges took a bold stand and said he supports downtown paid parking.
"If you task police officers they will tell you we need paid parking," Sturges said. "But the appetite in the political area is that it's suicide. I'm not afraid to say it......I think it's a good thing for our city to support the tourists who would pay to park."
"I'm not for paid parking, it's a slippery slope," said Commissioner Ayscue.
Mayor Bean said paid parking is "the wrong path" saying the cost benefit was not there. Bean said paid parking would drive people away from downtown businesses.
Shuttling downtown employees
Sturges wanted to know what the expense would be to run a shuttle from Central Park to downtown for workers at downtown businesses.
"If you had 100 cars that would relieve some of the parking downtown," Sturges said. "You only run it for certain hours and it would take them right to their car."
Bean said the idea had potential. "There are empolyees who want to be dropped off right in front of their business. It would be an uphill battle but it has potential," Bean said.
Having recently visited St. Augustine and Carolina Beach, paid parking is the norm for both of these popular destinations. There must be some benefit to paid parking, or why would these two destinations bother? Has there been a formal study for paid parking on Amelia Island or are the arguments just opinions? Not just downtown, but Main Beach. Full time residents would be able to purchase an annual paring permit, for a discounted price (we already pay city and county taxes).