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New beach parking decal is a sticker situation for Naples leaders
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It’s official.
The Naples City Council wants the city’s beach parking stickers back, and they aren’t taking no for an answer.
“The underlining theme I’ve been trying to get at is to regain our identity,” Councilman Gary Price said. “It’s big things like parking garages and little things like beach stickers. This is something that identifies us as living in the city.”
Price brought up the topic of beach stickers during Wednesday’s council meeting, after seeing a copy of the proposed countywide sticker.
The new sticker would replace the current white one with black letters, city Finance Director Ann Marie Ricardi said in a memo to Naples City Manager Bob Lee.
“As a reminder, city and county beach stickers are the same, because we now all follow the same parking rules,” she wrote.
That didn’t sit well with council members. Some protested the combined sticker.
Until earlier this year, city residents had their own parking sticker, Ricardi said. The sticker, which featured the Naples Pier and a sunset, was phased out when the state Department of Environmental Protection said everyone needed to have equal access to the beach.
Naples residents have since been issued countywide stickers, which provide access to beaches in Naples, Marco Island and elsewhere in Collier County.
The proposed sticker would function in the same capacity countywide, except it has the words “Naples” and “Marco Island” on it.
But for the majority of council members, that isn’t enough.
“We don’t want to be all those things,” Price said.
Councilman John Sorey told the council he supported bringing back a Naples-specific beach pass, especially since he believes the city should be monitoring who is using the beaches.
Sorey said separate beach stickers would mean he — or any resident for that matter — could walk through a lot and see who was parking at the Naples beaches.
In the past, Sorey said, 70 percent of the people visiting Naples beaches were residents of the unincorporated area.
“I feel strongly that the county should reimburse the city,” he said. “I have a problem with city residents subsidizing county residents.”
Both Councilman Bill Willkomm and Councilwoman Penny Taylor agreed.
“I like it,” Willkomm said. “I feel like the County Commission is taking advantage of us.”
Mayor Bill Barnett, however, said that it shouldn’t matter who uses the beaches.
Currently the city is reimbursed for the number of parking spaces in the city. Sorey said the city is in the process of negotiating a new agreement.
In her memo, Ricardi said she plans to present a new agreement regarding the beach passes to county officials in November.
Ricardi said Friday she was looking into how much it would cost to run off the old beach stickers to make them available to city residents. But Barnett said he thinks issuing separate passes to city residents could become too costly.
“I have a sneaky suspicion that the cost of having our own pass is going to be an issue,” Barnett said.
Barnett was the lone voice among council members Wednesday who said he liked the proposed parking pass.
Barnett said he didn’t think residents would mind having the same beach sticker as unincorporated-area residents, as long as the sticker was attractive.
But Price disagreed.
“It’s our only identifier,” he said. “One of the badges of honor (of living in the city) is to have a city of Naples beach sticker.”
Comments
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OMG! Is this THE most important item on the council agenda?
We are paying taxes to keep these jerks in office and all they can do is argue about stickers?
Grow up children!!!!
What a disgrace!
#1 Posted by Ironage on October 6, 2007 at 4 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is Naples - did you really expect more???
#2 Posted by Sunshineraider on October 6, 2007 at 5:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Badge of honor sticker!
Pathetic.
And these guys run the City of Naples.
At least Gary Galleberg has some big-city
experience and would not make this an issue.
Gary for Mayor 2008!
Now more than ever.
#3 Posted by will1313 on October 6, 2007 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This council is pathetic to say the least. Is this all you have to worry about boys and girls?
It doesn't matter who lives where. The beach sticker program was designed so that all county residents and property owners could use the beach without have to pay the parking meters. The parking meters are there to help collect funds for beach maintenance.
When the program first started back in the 80's there was only one style of sticker issued. It said "City of Naples" on it. Somewhere along the line the county came up with there own sticker for county residents. Why there was a change to the two different styles in the first place who knows.
It does not make any real difference who lives where and who uses the beach. It is there for all to use.
Get over your selves council.
#4 Posted by swfl_ff on October 6, 2007 at 5:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Price & Taylor this should be your last term as city council the both of you have ZERO for commonsense has anyone seen these two on TV Price is on a power trip and Taylor looks like she is always on a shopping trip. City of Naples the beach belongs to all the residents it is not the property of the wealthy it is the property of the tax payers so Mr.Price & Mrs. Taylor find something els to change (like the flowers in your garden)One sticker is all we need if you want to change the sticker you and Taylor can pay for it out of your own pockets.
#5 Posted by bigtwinvhf on October 6, 2007 at 6:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Councilman John Sorey the only thing the county need to do is raise the price on all the water that gets pumped in to the city from the Everglades. Thats the problem with the city take take take. And the funny thing is none of you are from Naples not a native in the group all transplants trying to change our home.
if you are so happy with the way you did it up north guess what I75 N will take you back home.
#6 Posted by bigtwinvhf on October 6, 2007 at 6:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Im a Naples resident.
If you want to be really accurate about representing Naples how about putting a Sombrero on it?
I personally dont care whats on it as long as I can park with it.
Hey I guess if thats the big worry the council has then we must be in GOOD shape here!
#7 Posted by firefly16 on October 6, 2007 at 10:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The county should incorporate into a city and start annexing parts of the City of Naples starting with beach property!!
#8 Posted by laneshad on October 6, 2007 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I live in the city of Naples and I demand my sippee cup when I dine on 5th Avenue so everyone knows how important I am...Waaa!!!!!!!
#9 Posted by mattmaki on October 7, 2007 at 2:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They need to put a picture of a flooded house on the sticker for City of Naples residents. In the right weather, they're even closer to the beach.
#10 Posted by hey_its_dina on October 7, 2007 at 5:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is indeed, sickening. Prima donna, pompous, idiots.
#11 Posted by Green_Machine on October 7, 2007 at 6:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gary Galleberg? What a great idea! He could spit at people if he doesn't get his own way, or maybe even follow them when they eat out and spit in their food.
#12 Posted by smartcookie on October 7, 2007 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Since when does the CITY own the beach? Sands shift so I'm sure that "city owned" sand is waaaaaaay out in the gulf by now. If we live here we pay taxes. It's so pompous to think you can own nature. What's next on the agenda? Not allowing County residents to go to 5th Avenue?
#13 Posted by Typeone on October 7, 2007 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Here's an idea for a new design
http://jsoda.blogfodder.net/files/Hea...
#14 Posted by wonderwoman on October 7, 2007 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why, this is more important then the Nicky SOros case!
The Supreme COurt will hafta decide this one!
You elected these bozos, you're stuck with them. And considering what a bunch of bozos they are it's no wonder 'normal' people with an IQ over that of a dog won't run.
But wait, this Naples, home of the Replublicons. You have so much money you can afford to do anything you want right? Like put SOD and sprinkler systems with ornamental plantng on all your median strips and hire crews to pull out the weeds and care for them.
That is, until this tourist season when the snowbirds don't come. You will see an influx of Europeons though. They're going to come here to spend US dollars, funny money that is worthless elsewhere and have temselves a good laff at your expense.
#15 Posted by Treasonous on October 7, 2007 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear Naples City Council,
Like the constant argument between Pelican Bay residents and the County, the beaches belong to ALL CITIZENS! Unfortunately you can't discriminate, even though you long to distinguish/disguise yourselves from the rest of the County, where you reside within your fortresses. The City seems to have so much extra money to spend since they choose not to pay decent salaries to keep qualified employees. A new agenda item, commission a work of art for the Stepford residents bumpers from the Louvre in 24 karat gold. May I go further to suggest a "leaf blower resting on the Pier", since you have the desire to preserve the past and are all full of hot air!
Sad situation that this makes the news when food banks have empty shelves and children go hungry in our own town! Thank you Mayor Bill for being the only member with any sense since the others are oblivious to their surroundings and turn a blind eye to REAL ISSUES!
Get Over Yourselves, you should be ashamed!
Signed A Proud Collier County Resident
#16 Posted by sheltie on October 7, 2007 at 4:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Like many other things in Naples, it's sheer snobbery that's motivating the Council to demand that everyone knows that they live there and not in an unincorporated area of Collier Co.
Give me a break.
#17 Posted by BlackCat on October 10, 2007 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think we can probably propose a change on the shape of the sticker, how about a round sticker instead of a 3" square one? Isn't this something important that needs to be addressed? I think so! I want a nice looking sticker the bumper of my car.
(Yeah right!)
#18 Posted by joebananas on October 10, 2007 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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