The New Smyrna Beach Parking Task Force – What Are They Up To?
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This is our latest UpDate, 10/30/24
Here is the NSB Alliance Position regarding the Recommendations of the Parking Consultant.
The recently released Parking Consultant’s Report follows up on the 2023 work of the Parking Task Force and supports the majority of their recommendations, including the establishment of a Mobility and Parking Department within the NSB city government. We at the NSB Alliance add our support to the rapid implementation of these recommendations.
We do differ slightly in that we think given parking as an income producing operation that it should be established as an Enterprise Authority rather than a department in the city government. We say this for several reasons, including:
- The concept of providing parking should be based on either a profit or break-even business model; preferably profit to enable future expansion of facilities. If left as a city department, its operational costs will be lost in a myriad of fund transfers and if not watched like a business, it will end up costing taxpayers to operate. That should not be the result, given our tourist-based structure.
- By crafting it as an enterprise function, profit and loss becomes clear and business, rather than government related decisions and initiatives will prevail. At the end of the year, the citizens will be able to see a clear fiscal report on how well the authority is operating base don income versus expenses.
- As it will in all probability provide direct parking services to more non-residents than residents, it should be treated as a business.
- We already have a Parking Fund that is the destination of parking revenue, so assigning that to the Mobility and Parking Authority as its fiscal source is easily accomplished. That should ensure no taxpayer money is used to support the parking effort; in essence it is pay as it goes. Should funds exceeding that available be needed, loans from the city can be used and paid back on a closely monitored schedule.
As the consultant report reveals, there are short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to NSB’s parking issues. But the collection, analysis, and use of data is essential to all of these decision. Separating the function of this Mobility and Parking Authority is critical to getting those goals accomplished without the traditional delays of local government.
We also, as recommended, support the movement of parking enforcement to this new authority to establish direct focus on its operations as well as relieve our police force to issues more relevant to its function. This does not in any way negate or prevent any needs by authority personnel for police support if required.
We do applaud the current Mayor and Commissioners for their foresight in creating the Parking Task Force of 2023 and the citizens that staffed and contributed their personal time for the effort. We likewise thank the consultant for their work in refining the Task Force recommendations and structuring them for action. We look forward to the rapid implementation.
You can read the consultant report at the following link:
You can read the summary report of the Parking Task Force at the following link:
https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/cityofnsb/fc457be6d1b516d3f7eee6db97f4f1cb0.pdf
The City has scheduled a Commission Workshop on the report for Monday November 18, 2014, from 5PM to 8PM at the City Commission chambers. We encourage all to attend and participate.
What They Are Up To
Here are some good articles regarding the creation of the NSB Parking Task Force.
Daytona Beach News Journal