BOCA GRANDE, Fla. — A dispute between Charlotte and Lee county commissioners over public parking in Boca Grande may be heading to court sooner than expected.
Charlotte County Commissioner Bill Truex said this week he wants to accelerate legal action against Lee County’s ordinance, which was passed on Aug. 5.
Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on the ordinance dispute:
The ordinance eliminates public parking from 1st through 19th Street on Gasparilla Island, and caps downtown parking at three hours unless drivers have a special permit as a resident, employee, hotel guest or house guest. Violators can face fines of up to $200, or $500 if blocking a driveway.
“I thought the injunction was too much at one point, but if where we're at today is that we need a court to look at it, then that's what I'd like to see happen,” Truex said. “You're going to hear it brought up at our next meeting again.”
Earlier this month, Charlotte County commissioners passed a resolution giving Lee County 30 days to reconsider the ordinance before voting to file an injunction. Truex now says he no longer wants to wait that long.
Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane defended the ordinance during a meeting this week, saying growth in Charlotte County is fueling the demand that led to the restrictions.
“You can't build tens of thousands of units within a three mile radius of Boca Grande and not expect to have an overwhelming demand,” Ruane said.
Lee County Commissioner Dave Mulicka also suggested Charlotte County open more parks and parking lots to ease beach traffic.
“I would also encourage my Charlotte County partners to get their parks open as fast as they can also so we can divert customers to have multiple choices,” Mulicka said.
Truex pushed back, telling Fox 4 that all Charlotte County beaches and parking lots are open except for Port Charlotte Beach Park, which is under redevelopment.
“I would really like for them to make sure that when they make those statements, that they're being accurate,” Truex said. “Our beach has been open for a long time. The parking lot, the beach never closed, number one. Number two, the parking was partially open. Now it's completely open.”
Charlotte County commissioners are expected to revisit the injunction at their next meeting.
