Letters: Supports trunk shows, shops and restaurants

To the Editor:

 I read with increasing disappointment and real concern about the Lee County Commission’s continued failure to commit to any real transparency regarding the parking issue in Boca Grande. (Seems like it’s a pattern in government these days.)

I’m going to say the quiet part out loud; whether intentional or not, this lack of transparency has the appearance of being a deliberate attempt to severely limit the number of people who come to Boca Grande. If it is not this, then why is the issue never advertised on the meeting agenda so people can give their input? If it is not this, then why have there been no hearings during the season so everyone, including retailers, residents and visitors, can give their input? Since limiting parking is definitely going to impact the number of people who come into Boca Grande for shopping and beaches, why hasn’t there been an economic impact study done? Will there be transparency regarding the choice of the company who gets the contract for the parking meters or kiosks? Will this go out to bid or is the choice of company a foregone conclusion?

In the Boca Beacon’s edition of the week of February 21, Lee County Vice Chairman Kevin Ruane addressed signage and fines and was quoted as saying, “the ticket isn’t the enforcement tool we are trying to use to persuade people,” ( persuade people to do what?) “and that fine certainly needs to come up on Gilchrist which is the feeder … then we’ll gravitate over to the commercial district and that’s where they’ll park. So we need to limit the commercial district …” Limits, limits, limits.

Limiting the number of parking spaces available and putting a two-hour time limit on those spaces will adversely impact not just beach goers but retailers and those church/school fundraising events on the island as well. If people have only two hours, that is not enough time to dine at a restaurant AND make the rounds of the shops downtown and businesses will suffer. People who go to the beach also go to the local restaurants if they haven’t brought their own food but a two-hour limit will prevent that. If you make it punitive and a hassle for people to park, no one will go downtown to shop, or go to the strawberry festival or go to the annual art festival or go to the Inn‘s trunk shows or go to the beaches … and maybe that’s the whole point; limiting the number of people who go to the beaches. Limit parking and you limit people, limit people and you limit business and visitor participation in your events.

Mr. Ruane talked about having the churches get special permits for special events like weddings etc. No doubt those permits would require a fee and that could be rife with constitutional issues. 

And finally, the lamest thing I think Mr. Ruane said is that nowhere else in Lee County can you park in a median,” something that people in Boca Grande have been doing for decades there. Well, nowhere else in the state but in Daytona Beach can you drive your car on the beach, so by Mr. Ruane’s logic, the state shouldn’t allow Daytona Beach to have driving on the beach.

Something is definitely not right about this whole thing, and islanders as well as visitors need to be proactive in ensuring their voices are heard and that the county leaders are listening.

Respectfully submitted, 

Rita Kitenplon

Port Charlotte