50 spaces-----1,332 decals sold in 2013
50 spaces-----2,332 decals will sell in 2014? More?
The question remains, how many Snowbirds do we have? Do they come to Lake Worth for the weather and the beach? If you can answer that in the affirmative, then you can see where opening up the decal parking to property owners, not just residents, could be a BIG problem during the Winter season, even if we have a commissioner who believes it is fair and there is no problem.
The commission will go along with this request as it has been said that they work as a "team." You scratch mine and I'll scratch yours.
It's on the Agenda tonight for discussion in order to move it forward to change our Ordinance. You can bet every little "entitled" out-of-stater or out-of-country property owner will be in the chamber along with a small vocal group who believes this commission can do no wrong, ever. It all should be about common sense, not someone's feelings of righteous indignation. I am rather sure if I owned property in Canada I would not get the same privileges to snow ski on their mountain top or the same rights as their citizens.
I have always said, it is all about he who screams the loudest.
Screaming Snowbird
I am in agreement that only year round resident property owners should be allowed beach decal permits.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I can understand the position of a winter resident property owner who wants the same privilege.
Because of the limited parking spaces available, allowing winter residents beach decal permits would be akin to an airline overbooking a plane by 1000 seats.
It should be for residents, not property owners.
ReplyDeleteThe 50 spaces the County allowed us to designate for decal holders raised an uproar among the citizens who used this parking privilege since they knew it would be difficult to get one of this small number of spaces on any good beach day.
ReplyDeleteCmr. Szerdi is ignoring the will of his constituents in favor of his own brainchild in proposing this ridiculous ordinance penalizing us year round residents.
Hopefully three elected officials will oppose him.
Is there precedent for such favoritism in any other municipality in Florida?
are you saying that year round residents should have more privileges than property owners who don't live here? Why? Is it because year round residents spend their money throughout the year and the snow birds spend theirs only in season?
ReplyDeleteOr is it because the yr round folks think they are "entitled" just because they have to put up with the day to day circus called city government and this, "in some small way", is getting something for their trouble. I guess the yr round peeps think they have earned the right or paid their dues which entitles them to be treated differently.
Hey, I live in Greenacres. I pay county taxes. You people in Lake Worth took my county money to fix up Lake Worth beach. I should be able to get a beach decal sticker because I pay county taxes !!!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that our chicken-$hit city attorney would cave in the face of such an argument. And thanks to Commissioner Szerdi we will no longer have ANY RESIDENT PARKING !!
No, 10:15--there is a difference in residents (people who live here all year round, have a FL driver's license, car registration, etc. here) versus a property owner who is NOT a resident and who is homesteaded out of state or out of country.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like someone giving the residents the finger.
I don't think, in this City, that is the group that screams the loudest that gets their way. Rather its how and whether a proposal benefits the developer/real estate crowd.
ReplyDeleteThis is my personal opinion as a long term year round resident who is not a realtor. I think taking the money from the county to get our beautiful and wonderful beach front park was worth it to give up the universal city resident parking pass.
I think we should be doing our best to attract snow birds, they end up paying more in taxes which we need and they utilize less services. So in that regard I think snow birds or property owners who are not residents should get some consideration, perhaps a short term or seasonal parking pass can be offered, or perhaps they can pay more for a parking permit (which is what some other cities do) or some compromise.
You can turn it around and say it's the year round residents giving the snow birds the finger!!!
ReplyDeleteAll though it's a pretty strong argument to restrict beach decals for homestead property owners only.
I'm no snowbird, actually a native of PBC and been living in LW for at least 10 years. Although I see the problem it will cause, the fact is that tax dollars is what paid for the beach and if they own property, they should have the same rights as the rest of us. I'd rather not see the spaces full (I am a frequent beachgoer and will suffer as much as anyone), but I think it's only fair that anyone who owns property have the same privileges as the rest of us. Also, I am at the beach almost every day and I know there are only 50 resident spaces, but I have never seen the resident lot full, but either way, shouldn't we all be treated equally - Sunbirds and Snowbirds alike?
ReplyDeletethey have the right to pay $2 an hour at the meter.
ReplyDeleteThere are FIFTY (50) spaces. We do not have unlimited parking for decal permitted parking. What part of that do you NOT understand? NO--there is nothing equal when you compare a resident with a snowbird. By the very definition they are unequal. This commission will put a round peg into a square hole.
ReplyDeleteSzerdi and the rest of the dumb-azzes on this Commission don't even know the definitions of a resident .Resident 6 months plus one day and vehicle registered in Palm Beach County. I don't think that it's fair that these snow schmucks get to drive around putting wear and tear on our roads, but are allowed to keep their MUCH cheaper car registration somewhere else. Maybe it was true 20 years ago but today we are no longer dependent on rude jackazzes from the frigid north to keep us afloat. Go back home to where everything is soo much better, you cheapskates!
ReplyDeleteOpen it up so that decal people can park anywhere. Give the Cnty the finger.
ReplyDeleteThe County restricted us to 50 decal spaces because we accepted the $5 M that came from them, i.e., PBC residents and therefore partially from us, to redo the lots and park. Formerly, decal holders could park anywhere. Now non-homesteaded residents from the City and all beachgoers in addition to snowbirds have been given a better chance at a parking space on a busy day.
ReplyDeleteSnowbirds showed no gratitude for the consideration given them and Cmr. Szerdi has succumbed to their pressure to move the goal post with his proposed ordinance.
Only commenter above stated the obvious. If they own residential property and do NOT rent it out while away, they could pay a MUCH higher rate for a resident sticker to use in only the city residents only lot. The amount should be approximately 4 times higher to discourage the high numbers you quote above as expected.
ReplyDeleteThe higher fees generated by the quad fees could definitely go towards the shortfall we are experiencing with the construction and lack of appropriate CAM fees and un-utilized upstairs restaurant space.
I buy 4 stickers for my family cars. There is no way I get my money's worth in parking fees but I'll be DAMNED if I'm going to wait in line for 15 minutes for the privilege of paying $2.00 per hour.
I believe that is the point these people are making. I have spoken to several who would pay more (they said double) for the same stickers we get. I have only seen a totally full resident lot two times, both on a beautiful weekend at peak time.
Another option is to open up sticker parking to ANYONE in the non-resident section with no preference for residency inside Lake Worth or outside. $60.00 per year and you can park anywhere at the beach and not have to wait in line. And we full time residents could still have our own lot at the North end at our reduced rate.
It is great to see that the beach is so busy and popular.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if there were more parking meter kiosks and if you could use a credit card for just one hour.
Otherwise I have no complaints.
The snowbirds who want the decals are the ones who own property, pay taxes.. which is more than what I can say for you my dear. If they want to pay more for the decals than so be it!
ReplyDeleteAs said, this has NOTHING to do with AD-VALOREM TAXES. Most of the taxes come from utility taxes, fees etc...not from ad-valorem.
ReplyDeleteIt is for RESIDENTS!!! My dear.