PCB weighs golf cart parking

Published: Monday, January 14, 2013 at 21:01 PM.

?

PANAMA CITYBEACH ? The Panama City Beach Planning Board knocked down a proposal Monday to give beach businesses incentives for offering specified parking for golf carts.

While the city offers businesses an option to reduce the number of vehicular parking spaces required if they provide additional bicycle parking, the planning board ultimately decided there was not a need for specified golf cart parking.

The request to explore the idea came from the Panama City Beach City Council after the council approved expanding incentives for bicycle parking citywide. They previously were offered only for the Front Beach Road area.

The city allows businesses to reduce the required vehicular parking by no more than 5 percent if enough bike parking is provided. Mel Leonard, director of the city?s building department, presented to the Planning Board a proposal to consider allowing businesses to reduce vehicular parking by up to 7 percent by providing a combination of bike and golf cart parking.

Because providing bicycle parking is required, Leonard said making golf cart parking mandatory was also an option for the board to consider, but it would be complicated because not all businesses can be accessed by golf cart.

Golf carts are permitted to operate on city streets within Panama CityBeach limits as long as the operator has a valid driver?s license and adheres to safety regulations. To operate on city streets, golf carts do not need to be licensed.

Unregistered golf carts are not permitted on state roads, including Front, Middle or Back Beach Roads, Thomas Drive and South Thomas Drive, North Lagoon Drive, State 79, Churchwell Drive, Richard Jackson Boulevard, Alf Coleman Road, Clara Avenue, Hill Road, Beach Boulevard and Powell Adams Road.

Despite the restrictions, Leonard said many Panama CityBeach businesses are still accessible by golf cart.

?I like the idea of it, but I think it?s a bit premature,? said board member Craig Duran, who suggested the board might look into special parking spots for motorcycles, mopeds and electric cars.?

Board member Clair Pease said that with a parking problem in Panama CityBeach already, she didn?t think businesses should be allowed to further reduce their parking spaces.

The board voted unanimously to leave the parking code as is and revisit it a future date if golf cart parking becomes an issue in the area.?

Source: http://www.newsherald.com/news/government/pcb-weighs-golf-cart-parking-1.79074

12/21/12 bruno mars winter solstice Jabari Parker 2012 australia Brothers Grimm