It sounds like what it's really about is collecting a $52 tax. Since you'd get that back on two cars, it would seem to be a worthwhile proposition.
On Sat, Aug 8, 2009 at 10:05 PM, <oli...@bobparks.com> wrote: > I was angry until I read the article. It's just the city enhancing revenue > streams. I guess it's a little disconcerting but not such a big deal. > > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry > > ------------------------------ > *From*: "Shane Ford" > *Date*: Sat, 8 Aug 2009 20:36:06 -0500 > *To*: <Gatortalk@googlegroups.com>; GATORNEWS<gatorn...@googlegroups.com> > *Subject*: [gatortalk] [SUN]: FYI -- Gainesville City to crack down on > game-day parking in yards > > City to crack down on game-day parking in yards > By Megan Rolland <megan.roll...@gvillesun.com> > Gainesville SUN Staff writer > > Published: Saturday, August 8, 2009 at 8:58 p.m. > Last Modified: Saturday, August 8, 2009 at 8:58 p.m. > > > > One “perk” of living three blocks from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — a little > extra entrepreneurial cash on football game days every fall — may be > curtailed as the city of Gainesville begins enforcing a business tax on yard > parking. > > “That was one of the reasons we moved in here,” said Chad Zielinski, > referring to a large area set up for parking behind the house he is renting. > “We were banking on it to pay our (utility) bills.” > > For some residents, enforcement of the law represents an over-regulatory > government stepping into a time-honored tradition of homeowners and renters > making a little cash on game day. > > For other residents, the “perk” is more akin to a “pain” that encourages an > invasion of football fans into a neighborhood seven times a year. In these > residents’ minds, more regulation of yard parking is welcomed. > > Still others, such as Gail Ellison, a University of Florida professor who > lives blocks from the stadium, are in the middle of the debate. > > “What I am concerned about is what repercussions are going to be here if > people shut off the parking, close down the yards,” said Ellison, who has > lived in the neighborhood for 15 years. “800,000 people come to my > neighborhood on game day and the cars are jammed in these little streets, > and what will happen on day one when at least some of us will not be parking > cars. Where will they go?” > > In other words, imagine the panic — or aimless circling — when tailgaters > with coolers of beer and a grill find their favorite lawn is no longer open > because the owner didn’t get a license. > > City Manager Russ Blackburn said the city is merely enforcing a law that > has always been on the books in an attempt to maintain a level playing field > for regular parking lots that do have to pay the tax. > > Blackburn said that last year he realized the ordinance gave him the > authority to declare days when the city’s ban on “off-street parking” — > parking in yards or driveways — was lifted. > > “We had some complaints from residents, people complaining about cars > parking all over their neighborhood,” Blackburn said. “We had good > compliance over the last year and we did not have the complaints.” > > Letters were sent last week to residents in the University Heights area, > explaining that city ordinance requires citizens pay a $52 business tax if > they intend to charge people to park on their lawns. > > Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan, who lives seven blocks north of the stadium, said > she was glad staff has taken such a proactive step to enforcement this year. > > “My recollection is that the request for enforcement did actually come from > neighbors,” Hanrahan said. “I always say when you live this close to the > football stadium you either need to get into the game or get out of town. > It’s really a challenge to be here and not be really substantially > impacted.” > > Hanrahan said she lets friends park in her driveway for free, which is > still permitted without a business license under the ordinance. > > “It can be a very substantial revenue stream,” she said. > > The going rate for parking in her neighborhood is between $20 and $25, she > said. > > Zielinski, a senior at UF, expects to charge $30 or more for his prime > location on Northwest 3rd Avenue. > > Over the years the University Heights neighborhood has changed from a > single-family, owner-occupied neighborhood with many UF faculty as residents > to a favorite place for student renters. > > The transition has left tension between homeowners and sometimes-rowdy > college students, and game day festivities are just the most extreme of > those encounters. > > “This is not going to make for good relations which are already strained,” > said Ellison, adding that she loves how lively the neighborhood is most of > the time. “There is a working truce in the community, a sense of we all > share this space and so that we come to some agreement about what time party > noise should end. There’s generally about a three-hour difference in > opinion.” > > Landlords, not tenants, received the letters and will decide whether to pay > the tax and allow their tenants to charge for parking or not. > > Landlords also are the ones who will be held responsible for violations of > the ordinance and any fines that the city levies, leaving little incentive > for tenants not to charge for parking on game day. > > Blackburn said the city code enforcement officers will be out on the days > he has designated as “off-street parking” days to check for proper business > tax status. > > Ellison speculated that enforcement will be nearly impossible. > > Clever students will arrange payment beforehand, under the table, and then > hold the parking spaces for prearranged cars on game day, she conjectured. > > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
