County Commission to address roadway worries

Following petitions from Siesta Key residents in April 2014, the Sarasota County commissioners will discuss prohibiting parking on two residential streets on the Key at their Tuesday meeting.

If adopted, the resolution would ban parking on the south sides of Avenida Milano and Avenida Madera between Calle Minorga and the eastern ends of the streets.

Walter Hammerling and Mary Pellettieri submitted the petitions April 2 and April 4, 2014, respectively, because parking on the sides of the streets create a congestion problem. During peak tourist season, visitors parking on the sides of the street create a nuisance for residents and neighboring streets, according to the staff memo.

The Traffic Advisory Council recommended approval after hearing the petition June 9. The memo stated that staff has no objection to the prohibition even with knowledge that no technical reasons exemplify the need to ban parking on these streets, such as frequent accidents.

Pellettieri, a resident of Avenida Milano, has been waiting for the petition to go before the board for months. She is unable to attend the commission meeting tomorrow, but hopes for approval and a speedy solution.

“We’re hoping things will get done quicker,” she said. “It’s been a long time.”

People parking on her street are coming for different reasons, and so it’s very congested all day, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m, Pellettieri said.

“It’s the beach during the day and the restaurants at night,” she said.

In her April petition, she said that on one day, the street was so crowded with parked cars that the garbage collection truck could not navigate the street. With this example, she and other residents are concerned about the possibility of a emergency vehicle having a similar problem, her letter said. Pellettieri collected signatures from 11 of 16 homes on her street in support of prohibiting parking.

IF YOU GO:

What: Sarasota County Commission meeting.
When: 9 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 13.
Where: Commission Chambers, Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.