ANNA MARIA – The city commission has approved an amended site plan that allows the Chiles Group’s Sandbar restaurant to continue to use one of its parking lots for paid public parking.
The commission approval granted on July 14 is for the parking lot already being operated at 9902 Gulf Drive, between Magnolia Avenue and Spring Lane.
As he did during the preliminary Planning and Zoning Board review on June 27, City Planner Chad Minor said the site plan approval process was initiated after the city’s code enforcement department discovered in February that the parking lot was being used for paid parking, which was not an allowable use of that property.
Minor said the paid parking lot is one of nine parking lots the Chiles Group owns or leases to serve the Sandbar. He added that the lot is located in the residential/office/retail zoning district where paid parking is allowed. The commission-approved site plan brings those 28 paid parking spaces into compliance with city code and those spaces will continue to provide paid parking for beachgoers and other visitors.
The automated payment kiosk installed in February is provided by the Sarasota-based Easy Parking Group owned and operated by Joshua LaRose. LaRose recently told The Sun the fee to park there is $5 an hour or $30 for eight hours.
Commission discussion
During Thursday’s meeting, Commissioner Jon Crane said, “This is gonna be the first time we’re going to have a paid parking lot in the heart of the city. I would have liked a more full-throated debate focused generally on whether we want paid parking in our city, rather than a site plan amendment that kind of makes that a side-door issue. Having said that, I’ve got no objection to this particular site plan amendment.”
Commission Chair Carol Carter asked Crane if he wanted the commission to discuss paid parking in general at a future meeting.
“No, I think once the camel gets his nose under the flap of the tent it’s over,” Crane said. “If we allow paid parking on a piece of private property in the ROR district it’s going to be harder to deny it and there are a lot of properties that might be affected. I think we’ve already kind of made the decision if we approve this site plan amendment.”
Regarding other properties being used for paid public parking, Minor said those properties would have to meet and maintain their city-imposed parking requirements before offering any additional paid parking to the public.
“I think they would be far and few between,” Minor said. “This one is unique in that they’re able to serve the needs of their property and they have an excess of parking spaces. If they did not meet the parking standards for the Sandbar itself, I wouldn’t be in front of you today.”
Public input
During public input, city resident Kris Wisniewski noted the Sandbar is required to have 129 parking spaces and with one parking lot now being used for paid parking still has 161 parking spaces for its patrons.
“Year-round, this seems like a pure money-making parking lot. Only during season would you get close to using that,” Wisniewski said.
Commissioner Deanie Sebring said, “I’m excited they decided to have paid parking and have it available for people that want to come to the beach. Everybody knows I would like to get rid of parallel parking on Pine and it would be wonderful if these people could park there.”
“This is a practical way to solve a huge problem we have on the Island, which is parking,” Chiles Group representative Brooks O’Hara said.
“Now we can provide 28 additional parking spots. It just makes too much sense,” Commissioner Mark Short said.
“It’s a good thing. It just has to be done right,” Mayor Dan Murphy added.
Minor said if the restaurant fails to maintain the required number of parking spaces, the paid parking lot would become non-compliant with the city code.
Roser parking
Public input from city resident and Roser Memorial Community Church trustee Dan Devine triggered additional discussion regarding the past, current and future use of the church parking lots for paid parking.
“We’ve got records going back 12 years documenting paid parking at our church. We have four lots that are ROR. I see no reason why (Ed) Chiles should not be able to use his lots for paid parking as long as he’s meeting his regulations. Paid parking is one of two options. The second option is for the city to buy property to provide public parking,” Devine said.
In February, the city commission adopted revisions to the city’s off-site parking requirements. At that time, it was noted the church has parking agreements with several nearby businesses that use the church parking lot. Roser trustee Dave Cheshire told the commission those parking agreements are based on donations from each business rather than a specific fee sought by the church.
“I was told by one of your trustees just a few months ago that you were not offering paid parking, that you were taking donations. If you’re offering paid parking that’s a change of use,” Murphy told Devine.
“No, it’s a grandfathered, legal, non-conforming situation,” Devine responded. “We are grandfathered in and it becomes a taking if you deny it. We have the same rights. I believe Chiles has every right to rent his parking spots and I feel the church has no problem with that as well.”
“Dave Cheshire came here and said it was not operating a paid parking lot, and he’s a representative of the church,” Murphy replied. “I specifically asked him if Roser is offering paid parking and the answer was ‘no we are not.’ There’s nothing grandfathered.”
Minor said city staff is not aware of the Roser parking lot being used for paid parking. He said the church has to first meet its own parking requirements but would have the same right to use its excess parking spaces for paid parking.
