NAPLES — The city is asking employees of Fifth Avenue South businesses to stop parking along the street so paying customers can have the spaces.
The street’s Business Improvement District has also been given 90 days to study and recommend ways to regulate parking.
“Parking is the biggest issue in any downtown across this nation and there are no easy solutions,” Lise Sundrla, executive director of the Business Improvement District, told City Council last month.
Council has recently toyed with the idea of timed parking, metered spaces and ticketing to encourage turnover of parking spaces. It struggled with how best to enforce parking rules that already exist and worried changing city codes to help solve the problem might be a rash move.
Council ultimately decided to let business owners try to self-police the problem before installing meters and cluttering the street with signage that could “diminish the aesthetic appeal of our beautiful City,” Mayor Sorey wrote in a March 6 letter to the district.
“Requiring staff members to park on private property will make valuable on-street parking more available for your customers, maximizing the economic potential of available parking,” Sorey wrote.
Jim Smith, president of the Business Improvement District, said making employees aware of the lack of parking is a good first step to solving the problem.
“A lot of it’s education,” he said. “I think a lot of the employees just weren’t aware they can park in garages.”
A retail marketing consultant estimated that a single parking space, when used by at least eight customers a day, can generate up to $200,000 in annual revenue for local businesses, Sorey said.
When an employee hogs a space, that money is lost.
“If I were to find an employee parking in our spaces, I would certainly go out and make sure they move,” said Smith, who owns and manages a few buildings along Fifth Avenue South.
Even if a business owner realizes the value of on-street parking, it can be difficult to enforce the rule.
“If I had a really good tenant in my building and they’re paying rent, it’s hard to tell the owner of the company not to park out front,” Smith said. “It’s cutting of my nose to spite my face.”
Smith said because Fifth Avenue South is a destination, many who park along the street do some shopping, stop for lunch and continue shopping for more than two or three hours at a time.
“We can’t have 15-minute parking or even two-hour parking because it’s along the street and people tend to stroll,” he said.
Sundrla told Fifth Avenue South business owners via email this week to send their comments and suggestions to her on how to improve parking along the street. Volunteers are being asked to help inventory existing parking along and around the street.
Sundrla will appear before city council again this summer to share what’s she’s learned.
In the meantime, employees are being asked to park on the second or third levels of the street’s two parking garages.
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Comments » 31
meex writes:
NO PARKING METERS!!!!! Before some government worker comes up with a stupid idea for parking meters, please remember that getting rid of parking meters was the first thing the Duany did in 1994 when he was hired to improve 5th Ave. South. It creates more parking spaces without meters. Also, there are no costs to park at Walmart or the Mercato. You can absolutely bet on it that somebody will think it's a good idea!! Work with the businesses; they'll monitor it and solve the problem.
naplescathi writes:
The employees are probably just looking for someplace to park. The parking garage behind Aqua etc is always FULL because the guy that owns 3 restaurants across the street told all his employees to park in that garage to free up the garage on his side for his customers! And now theres a guy behind HIS restaurants telling people they cant park in the PUBLIC SPACES behind him, 821 & bha bha. My niece works for him and another employee mailed all the businesses on the Aqua etc side a letter telling them where theyve been told to park. When questioned about it from a business owner he said it was only while "his" parking garage was having something done to it. Well that was MONTHS ago, work is done and he still has his employees parking in the garage behind Aqua etc!! Try going there between 330 and 430 and count all employees from Pazzo/Chops parking there. Maybe the NDN should interview the business owners on that side of the street to see how they feel about THEIR customers having no place to park, let alone their employees!! (Using Aqua only as a reference and because its pictured in this article)
Captian_Cataracts writes:
Yeah! All you 47%'ers better keep your filthy cars off the street where I'll be parking my Bentley. I wouldn't want it to be soiled by you & your cars presence.
Filthy peasants...
napools writes:
AS a former employee on Fifth Ave (in the 70's and 80's) we parked in rear of buildings as a courtesy to our walk in customers. I can't remember being asked to park there it just made sense. What is the big deal, common sense should prevail here
BlackCat writes:
They should do the same thing at Coconut Point. If you're ever there a little before opening time you'll see all the employees parking right in front of the stores, where they remain all day. I've stopped shopping there in season because it's so hard to park. It makes sense that employees use the larger lots and not the spots right in front of the stores. At least to some of us.
Caliban writes:
Other half of story mot reported. Code official spent day and pay going to all the businesses downtown not just fifth, third was a part of this wonderful city program to waste money by trying to control public parking. Why is this a city council issue?? Just limit all parking to three hours on street if want to control it you will need a code or ordinance. Just telling people will not make it happen in the land of make believe where pollution does not exist and lollipops grow on trees.
MandarinMan writes:
Simply put, there are just so many spots on Fifth Avenue….and in season there are just too few spots to satisfy the demand. It would be a good idea to have business owners (a.k.a. White Rolls) park their cars elsewhere, but that will really only free up a few spots. The real opportunities as I see it are to:
1. Provide an alternative place for proprietors and employees to park their car off of fifth avenue. The malls establish distant spots for employees so that customers make park closer. Perhaps a secure, free, off-site location with some kind of shuttle service might help during peak periods. There is space in that giant empty lot that was just auctioned at the east end of fifth ave.
2. We simply need more public parking…not employees in the upper levels of the one garage. Particularly in season…not year round. So, perhaps there is a way to utilize the empty lots on the northeast corner of Rt. 41 where it intersects fifth avenue for off-site parking. It is close to 5th avenue, could be established as a charming place to park and access the "Gateway to 5th Avenue", and during peak periods could be used as either proprietor/employee parking or an easy satellite lot with police controlling the intersection to insure safe crossing.
Max_Headroom writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
AbeFrohman writes:
Definitely no parking meters but not because of the govt. Naples is a place like few others in the country. If I want parking meters, crime, and pollution I'll go to Miami for the weekend. Yes, the employees should park in the parking deck or elsewhere but meters are going to cheapen the aesthetics of 5th Ave. I agree that downtown commerce requires the spots to be occupied by consumers but look for other enforcement measures to keep all day/all night employee street parking from occurring.
Rummm writes:
two thumbs up
donate#252606 writes:
To whom it may concern.
I think the city Close off 5th and install a trolley track electric train get rid of all cars and free up the streets during peak season for pedestrians so when you're sitting on Fifth Avenue enjoying your fine dinner you don't have to smell the car exhausts
noise pollution from all the trucks cars, Think Green city of Naples will all have a better place to live.
Texas writes:
It is local knowledge that landlords and business owners can't keep their employees from parking on the street. If they really believed business was being hurt by this practice, I think they would be more forceful. But alas they obviously can not control their tenants and employees. How about getting to a more important business issue...what effect does closing fifth avenue to traffic have on business on third. By the way the Rolls in front of Aqua belongs to the owner.
coolkraft writes:
how about the government center....never any spaces available there for the public...why don't employees use the garage....
Anonymous1 writes:
THAT is common sense for employees, business owners NOT TO PARK on street. They are hurting themselves by doing so. I ASSUMED that it was a rule dictated by the owner of each business....takes only half a brain to know that is the way it should be.
Robertofnaples writes:
I say let 5th Ave South die!!! With the great places at Mercato, Gulf Coast,etc,; let those who think employees/peons hog parking perish as they should!!! And surely will now.
NaplesNative7 writes:
Parking Meters, Tickets do not create the welcoming visitor experience that we should want to provide our guests and locals alike. Naples needs to enhance it's reputation as a friendly, relaxing city. Nothing ruins a visitor experience more than an annoying parking ticket. I have lived here my entire life, have a business in the Fifth Av South area and have never had much of a problem parking. Even during the height of season.
nanbann writes:
When does an employee become a customer or the other way around? Seems like some folks want to make those compelled to come to the area be obligated to park in the most inconvenient locations? We are all citizens with the same rights, some more respectful than others, but all with the same rights and privledges. If the shopkeeps are unhappy, there is a simple solution, move to someplace with better parking!
mona1000 writes:
I don't think there is any common sense these days. I did work on 5th Ave S and we were told by management to park in the rear of the building, beside the dumpster. If the parking area was full, had to drive around until you found a legal parking spot behind other stores. Late for work trying to find a parking spot? Not the boss's fault, leave earlier to get a parking spot and be on time.
wentfishn writes:
I thought the workers there only rode bicycles, well who knew ????
Magic81 writes:
+100 a no brainer--I worked in restaurants for decades--if it was in season, we always were expected to park as far from the front as possible--for the good of all involved in that business (including 47%ers). All employees should park in the parking garage upper level---I am handicapped and parked there---still made it to downtown---but the truth is--as others say--sometimes you just want to be able to park on 5th to do an errand or grab a quick bite, etc. And we don't usually go near 5th in season due to parking.
I would expect that every business owner on 5th had already made this clear to all employees (as if they should need that)--and then enforce it to some degree.
PeopleSpeak writes:
1. Expand parallel parking on the public way north and south of 5th Ave S.
2. Make street parking 3 hours max 7am-7pm
3. Expand public transit.
Problem Solved.
Caliban writes:
Get phil McCabe to cough up some 4th ave parking
BlackCat writes:
It's what they did in Cape May, NJ over 30 years ago, to huge success.
Naplestango writes:
Never a parking problem at Coconut point!!!
wentfishn writes:
But we are run here by mid westerners who have no clue.
beetlejuice writes:
well said...trolleys belong in California though
not Naples
Harleys ruin any ambiance outside in City
Mercato has my vote
napools writes:
" Never a parking problem at Coconut point!!!"
So what is the point. There are plenty parking spots at the RSW too. 20 acres of asphalt does not work well in Naples. The trolley in center of 5th Ave and cut off car traffic is a good idea, adds charming public transportation, promotes pedestrian safe travel, as well as convenience.
streetrodder writes:
Have the Inn on Fifth park on 4Th and don't let them take all of the spaces out front!
Revenge_is_BEST_Served_COLD writes:
When I worked on Fifth, I was lucky because there was parking right behind my office. My wife works at Waterside. She's required to park on the third floor of the garage. Our vehicles are registered with security and she can be fined if one of our vehicles is parked in an unauthorized spot. Seems pretty simple to me.
naplesliving6 writes:
In addition to having employees park off street, businesses should educate their customers on the Jump On Express (JOE), the free shuttle that connects Mercato, Fifth Ave and Third St, and let them know about the multiple valet stations on Fifth Ave. Customers can plan more and take JOE or spend more and valet, but either way they will be able to find a place to park. I never hide behind my user ID, so I admit I am biased because I own the JOE and because I live with Tony Marino that does the valet. It is frustrating to have available seats on JOE and open spots in valet lots and still hear complaints about parking. Let's use some common sense for employee parking (Tony has also offered free spots to employees in his valet lots to ease some of the burden on the garages) and promote the services that are already in place before we even think about parking meters on Fifth Ave.
freedomsailor writes:
Just move Fifth Avenue east to the outskirts of the Glades. Plenty of room for parking out there.
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