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Parking Rules Altered For Bike Fest, Car Shows

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By GEORGE WILKENS

gwilkens@tampatrib.com

Published: March 18, 2009

PLANT CITY - City commissioners adopted an ordinance restricting downtown parking during the Saturday motorcycle and car shows over the objections of one downtown merchant.

Commissioners voted 4-0 to adopt the restrictions at their March 9 meeting. Commissioner Mary Yvette Thomas Mathis was absent.

The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce president and a downtown restaurant owner spoke in favor of restricting parking on streets and in municipal lots near the shows because it interferes with safe and efficient operation of the Bike Fest and the Strawberry Classic Car Shows.

The city had lacked an ordinance authorizing the towing of vehicles during those shows on the first and third Saturdays.

Responding to concerns of the owner of a downtown gift and antiques store, commissioners said individual problems with the parking ordinance can be resolved.

"Saturday is an important retail day for us," said David Schultz, owner of Patricia's, 108 N.E. Drane St. "I'm here to protect my property rights," he told commissioners.

Occasionally, Schultz said, vendors park large vehicles directly in front of the shop he and his wife, Patricia, operate. He cited the shows as creating "a substantial impairment to my access," making deliveries impossible and creating obstacles to loading his vehicle with merchandise for transport to weekend antique shows.

Initiating the motion to adopt the ordinance, Commissioner Mike Sparkman suggested city staff members, the chamber of commerce and Schultz meet to resolve the problem.
Chamber President Marion Smith called the ordinance imperative to the continued success of the organization's Saturday shows.

Bike Fests draw an average 70-plus vendors and the car shows draw about 25, she said. "We will continue to work with everybody," and towing of an illegally parked vehicle will always be a last resort, only when the vehicle owner cannot be located, she added.

Jerry Lofstrom, owner of the Whistle Stop Cafe, 102 S. Collins St., called the ordinance necessary to avoid disrupting the Saturday events, while providing police with parking enforcement powers.

Signs identifying the no-parking zones will cost $1,360 to $3,840. The chamber of commerce agreed to pay half the cost, up to $1,500.

Areas that will be impacted between the hours of 3 and 10 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays are:

•Drane Street between Wheeler and Palmer streets

•J. Arden Mays Boulevard between Wheeler and Palmer streets

•Palmer Street between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Reynolds Street

•Evers Street between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Reynolds Street

•The north municipal parking lot southeast of the Reynolds/Palmer streets intersection

•The south municipal parking lot northeast of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard/Palmer Street intersection

•The municipal parking lot south of Drane Street, west of Evers Street, north of the CSX railroad tracks and east of Wheeler Street

Bike Fest, a motorcycle event, is held from 5 to 9 p.m. on the first Saturday around Union Station Welcome Center, 102 N. Palmer St.

The Strawberry Classic Car Show is from 4 to 9 p.m. on the third Saturday in and around McCall Park at Collins and Drane streets.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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