BRADENTON BEACH – The creation of needed public parking by elevating or moving the Tingley Library was discussed at both the city commission and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meetings.
The scope of funding for various portions of the proposed parking project is to be divided with CRA funds used for some of the parking and city funding for elevating or moving the building itself, along with some of the costs associated with parking. The Tingley funds left to the city are earmarked for any improvements to the library building.
The city-owned library was built in the early 1990s using $240,000 of the $678,801 that Beulah Hannah Hooks Tingley bequeathed to the city in 1986 to create a public reading room. The library isn’t part of the county library system.
At the Sept. 6 CRA meeting, members acknowledged the need for public parking, but one member questioned whether CRA funds should be used for the design build project.
“I asked for this to be put on the agenda,” Mayor and CRA member John Chappie said. “The best solution would be to come up with a design build and relocating of the Tingley Library to utilize the square footage of the lot to create the largest amount of parking spaces in that area. The RFP (request for proposal) would cover the engineering design aspects.”
He requested approval to have City Attorney Ricinda Perry to draft an RFP.
“We’ve talked about it, I think we need to do it,” Chappie said. “I think funds are available in the Tingley Library bequeath for the library itself. And there’s some other funds I think would be available through the CRA.”
“If we do end up doing paid parking it would probably pay for itself in no time,” Jake Spooner said.
Member Ed Chiles suggested city hall modifications should be considered also.
“It seems to me you would take advantage of that opportunity and study city hall as well,” he said.
Chappie said the discussion is just dealing with the library and the property the library is on.
“Over the last several years, we’ve discussed city hall,” Chappie said. “It would appear over the years that in the majority of discussions, people do not want to get rid of city hall.”
“I’m not talking about getting rid of city hall but seeing it survives a storm,” Chiles said.
“We’re not allowed to use city funds for city hall,” Chappie said.
Chiles suggested cost-sharing as an alternative.
“We’ve got a very vulnerable city hall,” he said. “We’ve got sea level rise and storm surge. If we get hit hard city hall’s in trouble.”
Chappie made a motion to direct Perry to prepare an RFP for a design build for Tingley Library to elevate, relocate, create a parking lot area, with regards to stormwater and possible landscaping.
The motion was seconded by Spooner.
“I don’t feel the design or the modification of city buildings is a good fit for the CRA,” member David Bell said. “I understand how you’re trying to get parking and I can see how the CRA could participate in funding some of that parking. But to do the modifications on the building it seems out of our charter here.”
Perry explained how funding between entities would be allocated.
“To the extent you have engineering costs to elevate the building so you can have parking, you have engineering costs so you can lay out a parking lot, those are all direct costs to create parking,” Perry said. “Any costs to modify the building, those are city funds and could also come from the bequeath.”
The motion was passed by a vote of 3-2, with Bell and Chiles casting the dissenting votes.
City Commission meeting
At its Sept.7 meeting, the city Commission approved the issuance of a design build Request for Proposal (RFP) to elevate or relocate the Tingley Library to create ground-level parking under the building. The parking area could possibly accommodate 20-25 spaces, according to Mayor John Chappie.
CRA member Ralph Cole made the motion at the meeting to approve the issuance and posting of an RFP for relocating the Tingley Library.
“I’ll move to approve issuance of a design build RFP to relocate the Tingley Library and to direct Ricinda Perry to draft and post an RFP,” Cole said.
CRA member Jan Vosburgh seconded the motion.
During public comment, Bradenton Beach resident Marcelyn Harman questioned the elevation of the library.
“I walk in that area, and I know the library has a pie-shaped area in the back of it to the east,” Harmon said. “Could there be parking spaces there instead of raising the building? We are getting a new roof on it and it looks amazing.”
Chappie responded to those concerns at the close of public comment.
“Land is so expensive we have to utilize every single inch that we have,” Chappie said. “It looks like we can get at least 20-25, maybe a few more, parking spaces. The land is too valuable just to leave it go as wasteful underneath it. Parking is at a premium.”
“We couldn’t afford to purchase that land now that’s for sure,” he added. “We need the parking. That’s the reason we’re choosing to go forward.”
“We have some funds lined up to pay for this hopefully,” he said. “The RFP is going to give us a lot of answers to unknowns at this point.”
“The RFP will address all the concerns the member of the public has,” Perry said. “It’s more of an information gathering, planning aspect,”
The motion passed unanimously among commission members, who in addition to Chappie, Cole and Vosburgh, included Commissioner Jake Spooner.
