072308 neshorelines 2 drew.dixon@shorelines.com NEPTUNE BEACH - Despite late spring and early summer concerns about a crush on parking at Town Center, the City Council agreed Monday to drop any plans to increase parking control at the popular commercial hub.--> Last modified 7/22/2008 - 12:36 am
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By DREW DIXON, Shorelines

NEPTUNE BEACH - Despite late spring and early summer concerns about a crush on parking at Town Center, the City Council agreed Monday to drop any plans to increase parking control at the popular commercial hub.

"I have a sense that the problem is not as urgent as I thought initially," Councilman John Weldon said.

Weldon was among several council members who in June was considering adding parking meters or signs limiting parking to two hours because of a crush of beachgoers using the parking lots surrounding Town Center to go to the shoreline. Restaurant and shop owners complained to the city the use of spaces by beachgoers was depleting spaces for customers.

But at a workshop Monday, several business owners in the Town Center said they'd prefer not to change the current free parking system.

"Do no harm, that's what we really ask you as business people," said Rona Brinlee, owner of the Bookmark book store on Atlantic Boulevard. "Please don't have paid parking. I think that would really be hurtful to business.

"I think that it's important that we have to allow beach parking. People come here to go to the beach," Brinlee said.

City Manager Jim Jarboe pointed out it was businesses who brought concerns to the city over parking issues about two months ago. While Jarboe said there was a surge on parking during the weekends for several weeks, that seems to have subsided.

Jacksonville City Councilman Art Graham, who represents the Beaches district, also was present at the Neptune Beach workshop Monday and said the late June introduction of the Beaches Trolley system on the weekends seems to have done well.

The trolley runs from South Jacksonville Beach to the Town Center and Graham said ridership at the Town Center stop has taken off, noting many people wait at the stop for the last run of the trolley at 2 a.m.

Mayor Dick Brown said the trolley has likely helped alleviate the parking demand on Town Center, but he said it's not certain.

Jarboe said if parking demand in Town Center develops into a long-term problem, the city might want to look into a purchase of a nearby lot for additional parking for Town Center.

"But I don't think that's financially doable at this time." Jarboe said.

Meanwhile, Weldon said, as the parking crush has tapered off this year, the merchants of Town Center should at least start formulating some sort of long-term parking plan.

Weldon said he's heard from some business owners that "there's a certain tension" between some restaurants and other merchants over restaurant employees using much of the prime parking when they go to work for hours on end. He said businesses need to explain what they need.

"We do ask ... the Town Center Merchants' Association to get together at your next meeting and give the City Council of Neptune Beach and, simultaneously, the City Commission of Atlantic Beach some advice as to what you need, what you're looking for and how we can help your businesses prosper in Town Center," Weldon said.

In other action in a special meeting before the workshop, the council approved an ordinance that grants a request by Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland to move the City Council elections qualifying deadline to Aug. 25-29 effective this year in order to give more time to print overseas ballots.

The deadline had previously been Sept. 15 to Sept. 19

Nov. 4 is the general election and the runoff is Dec. 2, if necessary.

As of this week, five candidates had opened campaign accounts for this fall's mayoral and council races. They are Harriet Pruette, the current Seat 3 council member who is running for mayor along with Scott Wiley; Sybil Ansbacher and Kara Wade Tucker, who are both seeking Pruette's seat; and incumbent Seat 2 Councilman Eric Pardee, who is unopposed.

Drew Dixon can also be reached at (904) 249-4947, ext. 6313