Parking garage proposal draws complaints

 

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

 

A small group of homeowners is protesting the proposed plan to build a parking garage on the site of the former Key West City Hall on Angela Street.

The Gardens of Key West Homeowners Association, which includes nine single-family homes on Simonton Street, made their case before the City Commission at its Nov. 5 meeting, asking that commissioners not pass a resolution directing staff to begin planning two multi-tiered parking garages, one on Angela Street and the other on Greene Street next to the Conch Republic restaurant.

Tim Grosscup, one of the association homeowners, said his group had worked with the city on the original plan for the new fire station on Simonton currently under construction, which includes a parking lot, not a garage, with space for 136 cars, 23 scooters and 50 bicycles. The homeowners association was in favor of that plan, which includes heavy landscaping and a parking plan aimed at locals, who are more likely than visitors to use scooters and bikes.

“What’s being proposed for the parking garage is totally different. That’s not about anything that we saw. It totally changes what we were supportive of and what we thought we were getting,” Grosscup said.

Kate Miano, another homeowners association member, said the original parking lot behind the old fire station on Simonton Street, had been underutilized. In 2012 that lot had an occupancy rate of 42 percent and an occupancy rate of 46 percent in 2013, she said, quoting from city documents. A new, large parking garage would not be used efficiently, she said.

“Dumping the plans that you passed would simply cost the taxpayers more money and create an eyesore in the historic district, which is a neighborhood that includes many single family residences. It is not what the citizens of Key West were promised,” Miano said.

“We can tell you as neighbors who see that lot constantly… I can tell you it will not fill up based on today’s [parking] demand,” added homeowners association member Roger McVeigh. “It will not be cost justified to support more than 60 or 70 spaces.”

But the homeowners’ concerns fell largely on deaf ears. Commissioner Mark Rossi, who sponsored the garage planning resolution – and who has an entertainment complex close to where a Greene Street parking garage would be built – said that a previous garage on the site of the former City Hall was there when most of the homeowners in the association purchased their houses. And there has been an ongoing demand from Key West residents to add parking in the downtown area, he said.

“I’ve sat on this dais for the better part of 10 years now. All I hear from everybody is parking, parking, parking. I’m sick of hearing about it,” Rossi said.

“I really was very surprised when we started getting objections to parking because one of the basic reasons we didn’t put [the new] City Hall there was that Key West’s downtown area needs more parking,” said Commissioner Teri Johnston.

Rossi and Mayor Craig Cates pointed out that the resolution, which passed 6-1 with Commissioner Clayton Lopez casting the dissenting vote, is only the first step in what will likely be a long process. It directs city staff to develop capacity and siting plans and work with an architectural firm to submit blueprint drawings for the commissioners’ consideration. Area residents will be able to weigh in on any proposed plans.

“We constantly hear complaints about parking. I know you are concerned about your particular neighborhood, but we hear from all over Old Town and the community. So we need to address it,” Cates said.

Lopez, whose district includes the homeowners association, said he was not opposed to a parking garage but would not support the resolution because his constituents were against it.

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