Harbor Island Monster Problem!

There is a monster of a problem affecting quality of life in Harbor Island. This monster has been rearing its ugly head for years. This ogre of a problem called parking in Harbor Island grows with each new development or renovation in the Island.   The more progress attracted to Harbor Island the more parking spaces the residents will need.

On Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 6:30 PM a workshop to address the problem was held at Harbor Island 360 meeting room.  The Village Manager Mr. Frank Rollason, NBV Police Chief Robert Daniels and Public Works Director Mr. Rodney Carrero- Santana instructed by the Village Commission organized the workshop.  

The proposed plan included parking decals for the residents that live in building without parking spaces. These decals would require yearly renewal for a fee of $ 25.00. Three day guest passes would be available at no charge for family and friends that visit.  Residents that live in buildings that have inside parking would not be eligible.  This would free up spaces by forcing those residents to park in the available interior parking spaces in the building which they reside.   Cars without decals will be ticketed and towed.

Some 45 concern residents of Harbor Island attended the workshop. Many of them appreciated the effort by the Village Manager, Chief and Public Works Director to address the problem. The residents asked how may spaces do we have and how many spaces do we need? The Manager, Chief and PW Director did not know. Disapproval and discontentment by the residents was very apparent when they pointed out how unprepared the Manager, Chief and PWD  were.

Some of the residents resented the idea of proposing a plan without knowing the details of the problem. While others made it clear that no matter what, there are more cars then spaces.  Another resident displeased with the situation sited that this was a problem created by the Village and that it should be solved by the Village by buying up a property and possibly building a municipal parking lot.  Mr. Rollason pointed out that financially the village just does not have the money. Considering that local real estate taxes went up as did the water use rate.  Village employees got raises and the police budget went up considerably! If these practices continue taxes will need to go up again! And Harbor Island will continue with their parking problem unsolved!

Some of the residents offered an unofficial parking space count and pointed out all the obvious holes of the proposed plan.  Many Harbor Island residents that attended the workshop offered good ideas and suggestion: simple ideas that work such as allowing back to back parking where possible; allowing parking temporally on the site of the future Village Hall; taking back the green areas that were granted to the developers and turning them back to parking just to name a few of the ideas offered.  The Village Manger quickly pointed out that ideas that cost money cannot be considered at this time.

Additionally the decal plan would lockout residents from North Bay Island and Treasure Island from using Vogel Park.   One resident objected to the plan because it did not take into consideration spontaneous visitors.  Residents with corporate cars not registered in Harbor Island and snow birds that have their cars registered in another State will not be eligible for decals.

At Large Commissioner Jorge Gonzalez and Harbor Island Commissioner Vise Mayor Eddie Lim all fought very hard to get the Speed Tables approved and financed for Harbor Island to address the car speeding issue. This is a real problem that may put children running out of Vogel Park at risk. 

Six Speed Tables are ready to be installed in Harbor Island, three for West Drive and three for East Drive.  If these Speeding Tables are installed twelve parking spaces will be lost. Vice Mayor Lim was not present in the meeting to defend the Speed Tables and Commissioner at Large Jorge Gonzalez was present but said nothing; both of which reside in Harbor Island and were very influential in the approval of the speed tables.  The Mayor was very quiet and stood in the back maybe because she showed up at 7:35 PM.  More to come…The Countdown has begun!

Honestly Opinionating

PUTTING NORTH BAY VILLAGE FIRST!

Mario Garcia

February 27, 2014