City wants to ticket on Nights and Weekends

[Keith-N-Jax]

This city's future seemes to be doomed,,its tough enough as it is to get people in this city to venture downtown now we make it more difficult. We continue to give the homeless a reason to stay homeless. Our new motto should be Death to the City of Jacksonville where fools and homeless run free.

[Jerry Moran]

Top Brass at JEDC assured me on Tuesday afternoon that the 24/7 enforcement was just an idea put forth by Parking Enforcement at a brain storming session.  It's not gonna happen.  Councilman Don Redman and assistant Scott Wilson concur.

Good work folks.  I think we can back off now.

I just read where the city council just voted tonight to ease up restrictions on homeless feedings too, even the non profits are against this- this just may be the death of downtown.

This is troubling.  No input from downtown residents and business owners.  I attended the City Council meeting Tuesday evening long enough to experience the 9/8 vote in favor of the relaxed standards for feeding. I was ready for public comment, but no comment was permitted before the vote.

Councilman Don Redman telephoned shortly thereafter to explain that the amendments to the ordinance only apply to "residential areas".  Redmans's assistant, Scott Wilson also telephoned.  I suggested that Downtown is a unique area of Jacksonville,and requires special rules and treatment.  We agreed to have a meeting sometime in the future, that would include members of the downtown community.  Anyone interested?  Let me know:  lacenar@gmail.com.

[Keith-N-Jax]

(Jerry Morgan)Thanks Good news tried to access your email was not able to  can you send me an email at your convience,,  kkpugh726@aol.com,,another ? why would this idea or an idea like this would even be considered(re parking and homeless),,just goes to show how much work that needs to be done, in fact the problem is not the homeless, surface lots and etc its the city leaders, thats  the problem.

[Ocklawaha]

If they remove all meters from downtown it will lead to "permanent parking" of vehicles.  What is to stop me from parking my car that doesnt work very well on a downtown street for a couple days...  I think they do serve an evil purpose during the day.

Why do you see this as a problem? Hell, at least we would "look like" someone is downtown! Used car dealers across the land could store their cars along our empty streets...

Stay tuned and we'll even come up with an idea to make it look like we have buildings and people too!

OCKLAWAHA

[BridgeTroll]

I really wasnt saying it was a problem.  The issue began with night time metering and enforcment which I am whole heartedly against.  Which is a move away from the status quo... metered and enforcment during the day.  Stephen changed the entire argument by proposing removing all metered parking and enforcement.  I was simply saying that there may be a downside to removing all metered parking.  I am not a "parking specialist" but I can imagine instances where unmetered parking could be abused and cause a problem.

[thelakelander]

No more than the abuse occurring at the Avenues and Town Center everyday.  Five Points and San Marco Square are timed, but don't penalize their customers to pay an entry fee to visit their districts.

Anyway, since these suggestions were a part of a "brainstorming session", I think its time to "brainstorm" a little more.  The validity of simply having on-street meters should be seriously discussed.  Then if there really is a need, we should then be finding a way to install more user friendly and attractive smart meters.

[Lunican]

Take a look around downtown during a work day. The meter usage is extremely low. Probably even less than JTA's estimated 20%.

At night occupancy is approximately zero. The meters serve no purpose.

[uptowngirl]

If the meters were removed altogether wouldn’t that limit parking during the day time hours as office workers WILL park there if it’s free. Then if you want to grab lunch, early dinner, shop, or go to the library you are out of luck.

[Traveller]

If the meters were removed altogether wouldn’t that limit parking during the day time hours as office workers WILL park there if it’s free. Then if you want to grab lunch, early dinner, shop, or go to the library you are out of luck.

Remove the meters but set time limits for parking during normal business hours.  2 hours most places, maybe shorter for higher demands areas like near the courthouse, and longer for downtown areas away from the central business district.  If someone wants to park longer, they'll have to use a garage or pay lot.

[Lunican]

In reality, there are only a few blocks downtown that someone could have dinner or go shopping. The rest of downtown it would not be possible to do so.

Shopping here?




A nice dinner here?



Why are we paying to maintain and enforce meters in front of abandoned and demolished buildings? They are never used.

[apvbguy]

now for a counter balance

1. Allow new builders into these areas without the parking requirements - provided they sign a subscription transit program agreement with the JTA for their employees. Parking must be maintained and in the end this would be a bargain for both sides.

this is a good idea in some places, like the urban core, san marco springfield,avondale, the older urban areas but it is an insane idea for the suburban areas, if you do not provide adequate parking businesses will not be able to attract customers and the ones they do attract will create parking on medians, in fire zones. You urbanistas have to realize that the vast majority of people DO NOT share your visions of dense urban utopias, many of us moved to the 'burbs to escape what you hold near and dear

2. Focus new parking garage efforts on the limits of the urbanized areas but not within these areas. This way park and ride in would become a fixed way of life in Jacksonville, and the immediate benefit would be to return acres of bare ground to tax based building.

park and ride has many limits to it's usability, this is just another one size fits all approach to a problem and it is a big reason why park and rides rarely work as planned.

3. Remove ALL PARKING meters from the city streets. This would allow the small restaurant, retail and entertainment industry to take root in both downtown and the edge city at town-center.

sorry but I don't agree with you again, metered parking is not or should not be about revenues, it is about creating turnover of parking spaces, but the time limits have to be reasonable, for example if you want to have metered parking after 6pm you need to allow people to park for many hours, enough time to have dinner and see a show, maybe a 4 hour limit would work in the evenings, during the day a 1-2 hour limit should be used.

[uptowngirl]

I can only comment on my own experience, of trying to find a parking spot at the library, at the bank, at the landing. You are correct i can always find a parking space in the garage, but tryign parking outside the bank, library of landing..it is impossible. My only concern would be even less spaces may be available in these particular areas if there were no meters at all. In any case I only brought it up as a concern, soemthign to think about, not as reason in and of itself to not get rid of the meters. I know some workers have to apy for that reserved spot themselves and complain bitterly. It is one of the reason some companies do not have their offices downtown.

[ProjectMaximus]

(Forwarded to me in response to my email. Not sure if this is entirely supposed to put me at ease)

Subject: Downtown Parking Concerns

Councilmember Bishop,

Thank you for bringing us your constituents’ concerns about the information floating around about downtown parking.  First and foremost I would like to let you know that we have no intention of filing legislation that prohibits weeknight or weekend parking.

From what we understand, the rumors started from a City Note in the Daily Record that misrepresented information contained in an e-mail written by Bob Carle.   Bob Carle, Chief of Public Parking was tasked with evaluating new parking enforcement/meter technologies.  Some of the critical criteria for any new technology would be flexibility of payment by customer and enforcement flexibility for the City, merchants, residents and other stakeholders.  This flexibility is especially important during special events.  You may recall that Mr. Carle was looking at similar technology last year and it was his belief at the time that better technology and better pricing for the equipment were still in development.  Bob has been working only on the technology and future enforcement pieces of what would best be described as a ‘starting point for conversation.’

The plan has all along been to wait until after the budget process so that we may all focus on crafting an ordinance that makes sense from budget, policy and enforcement perspectives.  The legislation will be introduced on behalf of the Mayor as all Administration legislation is.  Public Parking will not have the only say.  JEDC will not have the only say.  DVI will not have the only say.  We will all work collaboratively to bring the Council an ordinance that makes sense and is sensitive to all stakeholders.

I hope this helps.  Most stakeholders have been aware that this discussion was forthcoming â€" just not so quickly!  k

Kerri Stewart

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer

City of Jacksonville

[Lunican]

The following section is proposed to be removed:

No person utilizing a parking space within an established parking meter zone during the hours commencing at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and continuing until 12:01 a.m. on Monday shall be required to make payment for the use of the space and neither the Sheriff nor the Chief of Parking Facilities and Enforcement shall enforce collection at a meter in the City during this period of time.1

1  Some cities which enjoy a successful downtown atmosphere continue to enforce parking regulations on the weekend. As Jacksonville grows, this proposed strike through would allow us the ability to enforce as necessary.

The following section is proposed to be added:

Moving the vehicle within a four-block radius, on a meter or in a timed zone, to extend the parking time beyond the allowable limit, is unlawful.6

6  Need to restore the language which prohibits persons parking within a four block radius after their initial time parking has expired.

Here is the full document:
http://static.metrojacksonville.com/documents/Ord_revision_draft.pdf

[BridgeTroll]

The following section is proposed to be removed:

No person utilizing a parking space within an established parking meter zone during the hours commencing at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and continuing until 12:01 a.m. on Monday shall be required to make payment for the use of the space and neither the Sheriff nor the Chief of Parking Facilities and Enforcement shall enforce collection at a meter in the City during this period of time.1

1  Some cities which enjoy a successful downtown atmosphere continue to enforce parking regulations on the weekend. As Jacksonville grows, this proposed strike through would allow us the ability to enforce as necessary.

The following section is proposed to be added:

Moving the vehicle within a four-block radius, on a meter or in a timed zone, to extend the parking time beyond the allowable limit, is unlawful.6

6  Need to restore the language which prohibits persons parking within a four block radius after their initial time parking has expired.

Here is the full document:
http://static.metrojacksonville.com/documents/Ord_revision_draft.pdf

1.  You know, in Oz, they have a horse of a different color and a wonderful wizard who will grant your fondest wishes. 

The vivid fantasy life one would have to be immersed in to thing that Jacksonville has anything in common with 'some cities which enjoy a successful downtown atmosphere' is mindboggling.

I wonder if they have wonderful wizards as well?

2.  Why on earth would anyone besides a mongoloid sadist feel it was necessary to 'make' people move four blocks away in order to stay downtown.

What a kind sized German Goat war..

Follow the yellow brick road...

We're not in Kansas anymore...