Jax Beach to shoot self in foot over parking issues

[tufsu1]

actually here's the deal....

the City of Jax beach has long been concerned about parking supplky and demand...on summer weekend evenings, they have a problem with teens and college kids under 21 hanging out in the parking lots and drinking in their cars.

The Police department recommended that the City consider charging for the lots in the evenings as a way to manage the problem and bring in some revenue....so they tried it last year and saw little negative effect.

The City then hired a parking consultant to help them identify ways to set up parking policies and collect revenue in a smart way.

Yes, a quick tour of downtown (what's left of it anyway) really shows how smart this policy is...

I didn't state whether it is a good or bad idea....all I was doing was clarifying that the concept was generated by the City....and not from a consultant peddling something to the City

[Overstreet]

actually here's the deal....the City of Jax beach has long been concerned about parking supplky and demand...on summer weekend evenings, they have a problem with teens and college kids under 21 hanging out in the parking lots and drinking in their cars.

The Police department recommended that the City consider charging for the lots in the evenings as a way to manage the problem and bring in some revenue....so they tried it last year and saw little negative effect.
..................

But they charged for parking during the day too. People going to the pier and/or the beach had to pay to park. Some didn't some did. But that daytime parking didn't affect the night time parking.

[JeffreyS]

actually here's the deal....

the City of Jax beach has long been concerned about parking supplky and demand...on summer weekend evenings, they have a problem with teens and college kids under 21 hanging out in the parking lots and drinking in their cars.

The Police department recommended that the City consider charging for the lots in the evenings as a way to manage the problem and bring in some revenue....so they tried it last year and saw little negative effect.

The City then hired a parking consultant to help them identify ways to set up parking policies and collect revenue in a smart way.

Yes, a quick tour of downtown (what's left of it anyway) really shows how smart this policy is...

I didn't state whether it is a good or bad idea....all I was doing was clarifying that the concept was generated by the City....and not from a consultant peddling something to the City

So you agree they decided before the consultants were hired.

[marksjax]

I was commenting on the use of consultants in general by government. But if you think about it aren't most of the decisions made involving a consultant pretty much (or mostly) what the consultant has come up with as a course of action? Not always, but more often than not, right?

Why not get a focus group of volunteer, interested citizen's together to give input and find solutions instead of hiring a consultant, allowing the public to comment and then doing whatever they are going to do no matter what the public outcry is.

Not saying the consultant is selling them on an idea. My point is that the very act of hiring an outside consultant begs the question of, "Well, we spent all this money on getting this report and professional opinion so we should implement what is suggested lest we look as if we have wasted the money".

That is more to my point. I have no idea if their minds are really already made up and I hope they are not, but the wording of the mayor and councilman's comments lead me to believe that some of them have indeed made up their minds.

This is why the public comments portion of these proceedings is a bit of a charade. Because the public thinks their comments will sway the council. Usually doesn't seem to work. Unless of course the speaker at the podium is an insider/lobbyist, then they might listen.  

[tufsu1]

I am saying that the City was exploring the possibility and was probably leaning one way...the consultants provided the data and analysis to support the City's desire.

[marksjax]

I agree with you.

[JeffreyS]

Don't call it the city's desire. Guaranty it would fall on a popular vote.

[tufsu1]

ok...City government then....which is why I capitalized the word city

[ChriswUfGator]

I am saying that the City was exploring the possibility and was probably leaning one way...the consultants provided the data and analysis to support the City's desire.

Yup. And that's my problem with consulting as it's used locally. What's the point in spending the money on it, all the studies ever do is support whatever decision that government has already decided it wants to make. It's just a total waste of money, you can buy a rubber stamp for $5 at office depot.

[tufsu1]

well Chris...sometimes the data & analysis leads you in a different direction.

Right now I'm working on several projects....I had some ideas in the begnning....data and analysis has shown that some of those may not be so good....which is why you do the studies!