Letter From Bob Kellner

The reality of the parking on Santa Rosa Island is that 99% of the time, parking is not an issue. It's only during special events and select weekends. 

The first question that should be asked given the limited amount of available funding, is that funding parking the best use of those dollars? Personally, I don't think so. I would rather see money spent on roadway and pedestrian improvements first.

As for any public transportation ideas, they are simply not feasible. All public infrastructure is subsidized because of insufficient ridership. That includes major urban transit systems much less a limited use system on a barrier island. Again, should limited infrastructure dollars be spent on empty shuttles? Where would any funds come from to subsidize any public transportation? Lease fees?

The idea of a parking garage to solve ongoing parking issues is not realistic unless it is one huge, mammoth, and expensive garage because in reality any basic garage would simply not be large enough to provide all of the traffic needs for those certain weekends and special events when additional parking is needed.  

An argument for a dedicated parking garage that could be exclusively used by beach and business employees might be made but who would pay for it? A Public/Private Initiative, doubtful?  Lease fees? Would this be the best use of Lease Fees? 

Besides the initial capital costs to construct a parking garage, consideration must also be given to the long-term maintenance and security costs of any garage. Does it make sense to dedicate ongoing lease fee funds to maintain a building that will sit empty most of the time? Who will be responsible to maintain it? 

Security is the other issue. Think about the recent rape in the downtown Pensacola parking garage. There is already crime presently in the Casino Beach parking lot and any proposed garage will also have crime that will require ongoing policing along with the additional costs for that policing. 

There are higher infrastructure priorities that can be addressed first. 

• Traffic mobility can be improved with intersection and traffic signal improvements, congestion pricing at the bridge, and proper roadway signage.

• Pedestrian mobility can be improved with better lighting and roadway streetscaping that integrates traffic and pedestrians.

• Overall street scaping can also provide improved aesthetics and environmental impacts.

• Beach facilities at Casino Beach and around the main core can be improved and better maintained. 

• Improving facilities and introducing potential events and limited commercial opportunities to the east and west public beaches would pull more traffic away from the main core area.

The main business core of the island simply does not have the capacity to provide the necessary parking needed for limited periods throughout any given year unless extremely expensive capital funds are invested for limited use infrastructure that will require expensive reoccurring costs. There are more important priorities that can be addressed with cheaper and easier solutions and opportunities to improve the island.