Parking Panel to meet again to finalize and approve details

A new meeting has been scheduled for late November for Commissioner Kevin Ruane to meet with the Boca Grande Parking Panel, in order to sort out the details in the creation of a rough draft proposal to present to Lee County Commissioners regarding Gilchrist Avenue and Historic District beach access parking.

Parking Panel Chair Mary O’Bannon said their last meeting, held just two weeks ago, was productive, with much discussion between the panel, Sheriff Carmine Marceno and Commissioner Kevin Ruane. They will convene again on November 27 for further discussion on a rough draft plan for parking options within the historic district, focusing on beach streets and Gilchrist Avenue. First, though, Ruane has some homework to do. He plans to meet with the churches, the Chamber of Commerce, The Gasparilla Inn & Club, various island organizations and residents to get their thoughts on parking within the village limits.

“We are looking forward to our follow-up meeting with Commissioner Ruane to hear what he has learned from different parts of our community,” O’Bannon said.

Ruane admits that he was not even aware of the Boca Grande Parking Panel and the nuances of the ongoing parking saga. It wasn’t until island residents started inundating him with emails last winter that he realized there was a problem here.

Then he realized that the Boca Grande Parking Panel is an animal all unto itself. At least, in the ways of Lee County.

“This group has a little different structure in comparison to other liaison groups appointed by county commissioners,” he said. “They all follow the protocol of Lee County … it’s just a different group. There is an education factor I had to go through, but I represent Boca Grande as a whole – all aspects of it. There are things that are obviously unique to Boca Grande. We also need to consider the Community Plan that is already in place. I’ve heard a lot of new information and I’m trying to get the factual situation and deal with it.”

Ruane also makes no excuses for the fact that O’Bannon reached out to him when he was mayor of Sanibel, to ask for his input. Focusing on budget meetings and, of course, the hurricane, put a damper on him focusing on much more than that at all.

Ruane also wanted to make the record clear that any donations given to him and his campaign were not to his benefit. In fact, he said, he doesn’t even take a paycheck – he donates it to a local food bank. He did attend a fundraiser on the island, but it was to get feedback from the residents and nothing more. He just wants to get to the bottom of the matter.

“All I want to do is alleviate some of the anxiety this is causing,” he said. We’re going to see what we can do.