HOLMES BEACH – Parking along Key Royale Drive from Marina Drive to the bridge will not be limited to the north side of the street as previously discussed by city commissioners on Feb. 25.
When discussing the issue again on March 11, four of the five Holmes Beach commissioners expressed support for an alternative approach proposed by Public Works Director/City Engineer Sage Kamiya and supported by Mayor Judy Titsworth and Police Chief Bill Tokajer.
“It looks like the best way maybe to handle some of our parking issues is to move the sidewalk on the south side of the road so folks can park on either side,” Kamiya said when initiating the follow-up parking discussion on March 11.
To create enough space for legal parking along the south side of Key Royale Drive, the existing sidewalk will eventually be removed and a new sidewalk will be installed 3 feet further to the south. The new sidewalk will still be located in the city-owned right of way and not on privately-owned property.
The city’s code of ordinances already requires vehicles to be parked with all tires off the roadway and moving the sidewalk will create more space to park in accordance with that city law. City code also prohibits parking on a sidewalk and currently there’s barely enough space, or not enough space, to park with all tires off the sidewalk and the road along the south side of the street.
During the March 11 meeting, Titsworth said the latest proposal would provide the space needed for landscaping and construction vehicles to legally park alongside Key Royale Drive with all tires off the pavement.
To create more space for parking along both sides of the street those who own property between 506/507 and 532/533 Key Royale Drive will receive letters from the city asking them to remove any landscaping or other obstacles placed in the city right of way. Mailboxes and driveways do not have to be removed from the right of way but other items left in the right of way can be removed by the city.
Commissioner Dan Diggins said the proposed solution would impact 28-29 properties and Kamiya agreed with that estimate.
Titsworth said city commission approval isn’t needed to maintain and enforce the current parking allowances and regulations but the sidewalk installation contract will be brought to the commission for future approval of the proposed expenditure.
Kamiya estimated the new sidewalk would cost approximately $107,000. He said funds previously budgeted but not spent on a proposed Sixth Avenue sidewalk project could be used to pay for a new Key Royale Drive sidewalk.
The parking proposals stem from complaints received from Key Royale residents concerned about the safety hazards posed by landscaping and construction vehicles parking in the road or partially in the road. Those commercial parking activities narrow the travel lanes and force drivers into the other lane and into oncoming traffic. Titsworth said Key Royale Drive serves as a main thoroughfare for hundreds of homeowners and can no longer be viewed as a side street in terms of how it’s used and regulated.
Commissioner Carol Soustek said, “I like the fact that they’re doing it on both sides. I heard from at least one member from Key Royale that likes it very much. I had nobody come to me and say ‘I don’t like it.’ ”
As she did during the Feb. 25 discussion, Commissioner Carol Whitmore opposed the proposed parking solution.
“It could be a potential safety issue but that could be anywhere so why wouldn’t you do it citywide?” Whitmore said. “And now we’re paying for a sidewalk, to move it, which makes no sense fiscally because it’s perfectly fine, so I won’t support this.”
Related coverage:
Alternative Key Royale parking solution proposed
Key Royale Drive parking restriction proposed
