July 26, 2024 • 7 mins
A Pinellas County beach town is trying to move tourists and day-trippers off its side streets. Starting July 29th, there's no more free parking in the Sunset Beach neighborhood of Treasure Island.
Street parking will cost $5 an hour. City spokesman Jason Beisel insists it's not a money grab. We speak with him about the change.
Street parking will cost $5 an hour. City spokesman Jason Beisel insists it's not a money grab. We speak with him about the change.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Gordon Bird here Beyond the News.The City of Treasure Island in Penelas County
is making some changes to parking inone of its neighborhoods, Sunset Beach,
that will no longer be free ifyou're parking on side streets in the Sunset
Beach area. Jason Beisel with thecity is here to explain what's going on.
Jason, welcome to Beyond the News. Thank you for having me.
(00:21):
Okay, first, the reason whyyou're making this change now, I know
that Sunset Beach is kind of aresidential neighborhood. Was there an issue with
things getting clogged up on the sidestreets. Yeah, this has been something
that's been discussed for a number ofyears, and there was a neighborhood led
initiative that the neighborhood wanted some changesto the parking. They got a lot
(00:46):
of the people that live in thatneighborhood were upset about the amount of people
parking on the side street trying toavoid going to the city lots. They
were blocking driveways, they were blockingaccess to their property. So the city
held public meetings. They had afew public meetings, then they had a
workshop, and then they had anothermeeting, and this is the idea that
(01:06):
they came up with to start chargingfive dollars per hour on the side streets
in the Sunset Beach neighborhood. Now, that seems a little excessive to some,
and the whole reason it does seemaccessive is because we want to try
to direct people to the city ownedparking lots and the parking lots that are
along the beach there in the SunsetBeach neighborhood to try to alleviate some of
(01:27):
the parking on the side streets.So we figured since it's three seventy five
to park in the city owned parkinglot, that that would make people would
be more apt to go park inthose lots instead of paying the five dollars
an hour to park on the sidestreets. So that's what we decided to
do to help alleviate some of theissues we have with people parking along the
side streets there. So obviously afinancial incentive there. What are the hours
(01:51):
that this rule is going to bein effect and days if that applies weekend
versus weekdays. And again we're talkingabout five dollars an hour. Correct,
Yes, that's correct, and it'sand the reason The only reason it is
five dollars an hour is not ofmoney grab by the city. We're not
trying to make any money off this. We're just trying to get people to
park into the city lots. Andso we figured if we charged more on
(02:14):
the side streets and we do inthe city lots, that would make people
decide to park in the city lots, and all this money just goes back
into that area or beach renourishment andfacilities in that area, So all that
money made off the parking would justgo right back into that community. But
this is twenty four hours a day, seven days a week that this happens,
and we ask residents to pay attentionto the signage or visitors to that
(02:35):
area to pay attention to the signsbecause there are some streets where you can
park seven days a week, andother streets there's only parking on weekends and
weekdays. Our weekends and holidays thatyou can park and you can't park any
other time. Now, we aremaking exceptions for vehicles like if your lawn
care or your construction and you're workingon someone's house, we are making exceptions
that allow people to park while they'redoing work to residence. And plus you
(03:00):
can also have your visitors. Peoplewho live in that neighborhood can have their
visitors. They can sign up theirvisitors, put in their license plate number.
As we as we move to thislicense plate reader technology and those people
who come visit you will be ableto park in the area for free,
So your visitors won't be charged ifyou live in that neighborhood. So it's
not just the money grab to tryto grab more money out of people or
(03:21):
just trying Those streets are very narrowon somes that beach. If you've been
there, we've had issues with ouremergency vehicles getting through the streets, our
public works vehicles getting through. Sowe had to come up with the way
to help alleviate some of the trafficon those streets. And a lot of
the residents are thankful for that becausethere were a lot of people blocking driveways,
there were a lot of people blockingtheir property. And so this is
(03:42):
just one way we commissioned the peoplein that neighborhood that come up with to
help do what the parking issue.Now, again, if you could go
over this, if you're a TreasureIsland resident, how does this work?
You have a pass that you getfrom the city and you're able to extend
that to people who are visiting yourhome. How does that work? Correct?
So right now, right now,to see a church fund that's hangtags
(04:04):
and you are allowed to hangtags,and it's a resident resident. People who
are residents pay forty five dollars ayear for those hangtags. And with this
old system that we have in placecurrently, you pay forty five dollars.
No matter if you've got your hangtagthe first of January or if you got
it today, you're still going topay forty five dollars in that tag expires
at the end of the year.With this new technology that we're moving forward
(04:25):
with the license plate reader technology andthis is going to be starting in the
Sunset Beach neighborhood to see how itworks, and then og citywide is you
put in your license plate information andthen you were able to control the parking
yourself. You're able to go onlineif you had to update your license plate
information. You're able to go onlineand add visitors who are coming to visit
(04:46):
you add their license plate numbers sothat when this license plate reader technology scans
that license plate, it knows that'ssomeone visiting your house or your area and
that they won't be charged for thatparking. This has also helps cut down
on a lot of the paperwork,it helps cut down on man hours the
city. So therefore in the futureit could lead to even lower rates for
residential parking passes. So those fortyfive dollars parking passes could actually come down
(05:06):
in price as we roll out thislicense plate reader technology. And it also
allows people to roll over year toyear. So if I was able,
if I was a resident in SunsetBeach right now before it goes city wide,
and I signed up for a parkingpass annual parking pass, my parking
pass will be bout all the waythrough this time next year instead of just
(05:27):
by the expiring at the end ofeach year. And so that should help,
you know, commedy confusions on peoplein their parking passes. So it's
new technology that we have. Mostcities around us have this license plate reader
technology and with the new pricing changein side street parking in a Sunset Beach
neighborhood, we decided to roll outthe license plate reader technology at the same
time test it out there before wedecide to roll it out, and the
(05:48):
rest of the city. Now,what's the fine for somebody who violates the
parking rules. It will be asixty dollars bine. Just like with dollar
parking area. If you don't payfor parking, you will get a sixty
dollars buine from us. And weask people to always go to my Treasure
Island dot com slash parking to lookfor parking because there are a lot of
private lots in this area that chargea lot more for parking. And in
(06:12):
those private lots they do charge.Some charge eight dollars an hour, some
even more, and their ticket pricesif you do not pay, are a
lot higher. And they kind ofhave this habit of making their lots look
like city lots and their tickets looklike city tickets, and they're not.
There's a Florida Parking company. Theyare totally different from the city. Those
are private lots. Those are peoplewho own private land and they put parking
(06:33):
lots on those And so we askpeople to always check the parking match so
you know where the city owned lotsare that are cheaper, and then if
you were found in violation, you'dalso get a cheaper ticket, all right.
Jason Beisel with the City of TreasureIsland. Thanks for going through all
the new parking rules on Sunset Beachand giving us an overview of things in
the city as well. Thank youvery much for joining us on beyond the
(06:55):
news. Thank you, I appreciateit.
Gordon Bird here Beyond the News.The City of Treasure Island in Penelas County
is making some changes to parking inone of its neighborhoods, Sunset Beach,
that will no longer be free ifyou're parking on side streets in the Sunset
Beach area. Jason Beisel with thecity is here to explain what's going on.
Jason, welcome to Beyond the News. Thank you for having me.
(00:21):
Okay, first, the reason whyyou're making this change now, I know
that Sunset Beach is kind of aresidential neighborhood. Was there an issue with
things getting clogged up on the sidestreets. Yeah, this has been something
that's been discussed for a number ofyears, and there was a neighborhood led
initiative that the neighborhood wanted some changesto the parking. They got a lot
(00:46):
of the people that live in thatneighborhood were upset about the amount of people
parking on the side street trying toavoid going to the city lots. They
were blocking driveways, they were blockingaccess to their property. So the city
held public meetings. They had afew public meetings, then they had a
workshop, and then they had anothermeeting, and this is the idea that
(01:06):
they came up with to start chargingfive dollars per hour on the side streets
in the Sunset Beach neighborhood. Now, that seems a little excessive to some,
and the whole reason it does seemaccessive is because we want to try
to direct people to the city ownedparking lots and the parking lots that are
along the beach there in the SunsetBeach neighborhood to try to alleviate some of
(01:27):
the parking on the side streets.So we figured since it's three seventy five
to park in the city owned parkinglot, that that would make people would
be more apt to go park inthose lots instead of paying the five dollars
an hour to park on the sidestreets. So that's what we decided to
do to help alleviate some of theissues we have with people parking along the
side streets there. So obviously afinancial incentive there. What are the hours
(01:51):
that this rule is going to bein effect and days if that applies weekend
versus weekdays. And again we're talkingabout five dollars an hour. Correct,
Yes, that's correct, and it'sand the reason The only reason it is
five dollars an hour is not ofmoney grab by the city. We're not
trying to make any money off this. We're just trying to get people to
park into the city lots. Andso we figured if we charged more on
(02:14):
the side streets and we do inthe city lots, that would make people
decide to park in the city lots, and all this money just goes back
into that area or beach renourishment andfacilities in that area, So all that
money made off the parking would justgo right back into that community. But
this is twenty four hours a day, seven days a week that this happens,
and we ask residents to pay attentionto the signage or visitors to that
(02:35):
area to pay attention to the signsbecause there are some streets where you can
park seven days a week, andother streets there's only parking on weekends and
weekdays. Our weekends and holidays thatyou can park and you can't park any
other time. Now, we aremaking exceptions for vehicles like if your lawn
care or your construction and you're workingon someone's house, we are making exceptions
that allow people to park while they'redoing work to residence. And plus you
(03:00):
can also have your visitors. Peoplewho live in that neighborhood can have their
visitors. They can sign up theirvisitors, put in their license plate number.
As we as we move to thislicense plate reader technology and those people
who come visit you will be ableto park in the area for free,
So your visitors won't be charged ifyou live in that neighborhood. So it's
not just the money grab to tryto grab more money out of people or
(03:21):
just trying Those streets are very narrowon somes that beach. If you've been
there, we've had issues with ouremergency vehicles getting through the streets, our
public works vehicles getting through. Sowe had to come up with the way
to help alleviate some of the trafficon those streets. And a lot of
the residents are thankful for that becausethere were a lot of people blocking driveways,
there were a lot of people blockingtheir property. And so this is
(03:42):
just one way we commissioned the peoplein that neighborhood that come up with to
help do what the parking issue.Now, again, if you could go
over this, if you're a TreasureIsland resident, how does this work?
You have a pass that you getfrom the city and you're able to extend
that to people who are visiting yourhome. How does that work? Correct?
So right now, right now,to see a church fund that's hangtags
(04:04):
and you are allowed to hangtags,and it's a resident resident. People who
are residents pay forty five dollars ayear for those hangtags. And with this
old system that we have in placecurrently, you pay forty five dollars.
No matter if you've got your hangtagthe first of January or if you got
it today, you're still going topay forty five dollars in that tag expires
at the end of the year.With this new technology that we're moving forward
(04:25):
with the license plate reader technology andthis is going to be starting in the
Sunset Beach neighborhood to see how itworks, and then og citywide is you
put in your license plate information andthen you were able to control the parking
yourself. You're able to go onlineif you had to update your license plate
information. You're able to go onlineand add visitors who are coming to visit
(04:46):
you add their license plate numbers sothat when this license plate reader technology scans
that license plate, it knows that'ssomeone visiting your house or your area and
that they won't be charged for thatparking. This has also helps cut down
on a lot of the paperwork,it helps cut down on man hours the
city. So therefore in the futureit could lead to even lower rates for
residential parking passes. So those fortyfive dollars parking passes could actually come down
(05:06):
in price as we roll out thislicense plate reader technology. And it also
allows people to roll over year toyear. So if I was able,
if I was a resident in SunsetBeach right now before it goes city wide,
and I signed up for a parkingpass annual parking pass, my parking
pass will be bout all the waythrough this time next year instead of just
(05:27):
by the expiring at the end ofeach year. And so that should help,
you know, commedy confusions on peoplein their parking passes. So it's
new technology that we have. Mostcities around us have this license plate reader
technology and with the new pricing changein side street parking in a Sunset Beach
neighborhood, we decided to roll outthe license plate reader technology at the same
time test it out there before wedecide to roll it out, and the
(05:48):
rest of the city. Now,what's the fine for somebody who violates the
parking rules. It will be asixty dollars bine. Just like with dollar
parking area. If you don't payfor parking, you will get a sixty
dollars buine from us. And weask people to always go to my Treasure
Island dot com slash parking to lookfor parking because there are a lot of
private lots in this area that chargea lot more for parking. And in
(06:12):
those private lots they do charge.Some charge eight dollars an hour, some
even more, and their ticket pricesif you do not pay, are a
lot higher. And they kind ofhave this habit of making their lots look
like city lots and their tickets looklike city tickets, and they're not.
There's a Florida Parking company. Theyare totally different from the city. Those
are private lots. Those are peoplewho own private land and they put parking
(06:33):
lots on those And so we askpeople to always check the parking match so
you know where the city owned lotsare that are cheaper, and then if
you were found in violation, you'dalso get a cheaper ticket, all right.
Jason Beisel with the City of TreasureIsland. Thanks for going through all
the new parking rules on Sunset Beachand giving us an overview of things in
the city as well. Thank youvery much for joining us on beyond the
(06:55):
news. Thank you, I appreciateit.
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