Lee and Charlotte Counties are agreeing to work on possible solutions to complaints about new parking laws for the coastal community of Boca Grande.
Commissioners from both counties met face-to-face in Fort Myers Monday, and Charlotte's Stephen Deutsch set the tone by saying: "We've been good friends and neighbors, and let's continue to be such." Lee's Brian Hamman seconded that feeling.
Charlotte then claimed that Lee's new rules for Boca Grande took away 300 to 400 public parking spaces. That leaves visitors with 328 spaces, most with three-hour limits. Tickets for violations can cost $100. The Lee County Sheriff's Office has been issuing citations in recent weeks, after an initial warning period earlier in the winter.
People with disabilities discouraged
Charlotte Commissioner Ken Doherty said the new rules are discouraging people with disabilities, because the available visitor spaces are too far from the beaches.
"A lot of them are disabled Vietnam vets," Doherty said of those who have lodged complaints. "Veterans are harmed by this. They feel this was, well, one term they used was cruel to do that to us."
Lee says a parking committee, recently formed on Boca, could look into those claims.
Lee's Kevin Ruane, whose district includes Boca, says non-visitors have blocked driveways and jammed streets in the popular beachfront community for years. He then said Charlotte County has approved too many new homes, without enough beaches to accommodate all the new new residents. He said that's why Charlotte people flock to Boca.
'The elephant in the room'
"That is the elephant in the room," Ruane said. "If you all want to deal with it. Your growth compared to ours is unprecedented. That is something you have to deal with."
The two counties did agree to look at parking issues for people with disabilities, look into using state property for more public parking, and possibly consider expanded public parking during winter and spring — peak visitor season.
The two counties met under provisions of a state law that lays out a protocol for government bodies to follow in a conflict.
The counties agreed that they don't want to go to mediation right now. Rather they will see what the parking committee finds, and continue to talk as government bodies on possible solutions.
The Lee County Commission approved the new parking ordinance for Boca Grande last summer.
Mike Walcher is a reporter with WGCU News. He also teaches Journalism at Florida Gulf Coast University. WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
