Some sad news, and electric car change

[keywesst]

The Rooftop Cafe suffered a fire early Friday morning with extensive damage, forcing its closure until further notice.

 

There is a change in laws that affects cruisers:

 

Time's up for commercial parking permits

 

BY MANDY BOLEN

Citizen Staff

 

KEY WEST — In a continuing effort to control sales pitches and parking problems at Clinton Square, where electric cars remain parked all day as their owners hawk their rentals to cruise passengers, city officials on Thursday discontinued commercial parking permits.

Assistant City Manager John Jones has been dealing with the situation for more than two years now, and already has restricted parking in the area around the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum and Key West Museum of Art and History. No vehicles may park in the congested area from 7 to 11 a.m. Jones wanted to prevent the electric car companies from arriving early in the morning and claiming all the metered spots.

Those restrictions remain in place, although some people who live in the downtown area are upset with them, saying that if they are fortunate enough to find a parking place close to home in the evening, then they have to move their cars by 7 a.m. to avoid parking tickets.

The red commercial parking permits that have been discontinued cost $85 per month and allowed drivers to park at any city-controlled parking meter without depositing coins. The permits generally are valid for one to six months, and all existing permits will be honored until their expiration date, he said.

"Everyone was buying them up at Clinton Square and Mallory Square for their electric cars," Jones said on Thursday. "Meters are designed to turn over."

Jim Evans, whose partner owns Paradise Rentals offering electric cars, scooters and bicycles, has been an outspoken opponent of the long-term parking of electric cars at Clinton Square.

He applauded the city's cancellation of the commercial permits, and said the city's new ordinance prohibiting parking for the purpose of advertising will help the situation when it is enacted.

The new policy may help alleviate some of the problems at Clinton Square, but Jones acknowledged there is nothing to stop electric car companies from "feeding the meters" throughout the day to keep their vehicles in the area while they work to attract customers.

"We still have to address the off-premise canvassing that goes on down there, too," Jones said, referring to salesmen for various companies hawking their rental vehicles at Clinton Square even though their actual business and the actual electric cars are at a different location.

The pending ordinance, which Evans called "well-written and specific enough," provides for a $500 fine if companies are caught using a metered parking space for advertising purposes. The law will go into effect after a second public reading of it at the next City Commission meeting.

Evans said he and other rental agents will be vigilant about noticing who parks electric cars at meters throughout the day, how long they remain and whether the drivers are tourists or rental agents.

"It's like a Third World country down there," Jones said. "We want the cruise ship people to get off the ships and not be harassed by shouting and sales pitches."

[float'n fanatics]

The Rooftop Cafe suffered a fire early Friday morning with extensive damage, forcing its closure until further notice.

 

 

That's a shame. I had actually looked at that restaurant as one we might like to go to while we were there in May. Somehow, I don't think they'll be back up and running in time for our visit.

However, I do hope they are able to recover.

[keywesst]

It'll totally depend on whether they take the high road when hiring contractors. If they skimp, it'll never get done. If they hire a good big firm it'll be back by May.

[Sunnyvacations]

There is a change in laws that affects cruisers:

 

Time's up for commercial parking permits

I planned on renting an electric car on my March visit. How does this law change affect cruisers? :confused:

[keywesst]

You may not easily find the rental locations if they are swept off their "block" in front of the Customs House. Also the termination of the stickers means you'll have to carry a pocket full of quarters---meters here are as expensive as 25 cents for 10 minutes.

[DiveCruiser]

Progress, You can keep it down. LOL

 

Bob

[Sunnyvacations]

You may not easily find the rental locations if they are swept off their "block" in front of the Customs House. Also the termination of the stickers means you'll have to carry a pocket full of quarters---meters here are as expensive as 25 cents for 10 minutes.

Thanks for the clarification! The rental agency will be picking us up from the dock upon arrival. I'll make sure to bring along plenty of quarters.:D