NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — The City of New Smyrna Beach is backing Venetian Bay residents after the community’s developer implemented a paid parking program.
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Eyewitness News first told you about the issue in August. Since then, city leaders have learned their agreement with the developer doesn’t allow for a paid parking operation.,
The developer had until Dec. 27 to comply, but that hasn’t happened so far.
“They’ve lost 20 percent of their business is what they’ve been telling me and also have to pay this $200 a month on top of it,” said Carl Scharwath.
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Carl Scharwath lives in the community and has become an unofficial spokesperson for his neighbors. Business owners told us the same thing but didn’t want to go on camera because of a lawsuit they now have against Venetian Bay’s developer, Geosam.
“I mean these are our amenities. We want to stay in our community and support our businesses,” said Scharwath.
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The city said Geosam’s agreement with New Smyrna Beach is a planned unit development, or PUD, which doesn’t allow for income producing properties like a paid parking program. Geosam is now fighting the city.
A special magistrate meeting will be held on Jan. 22, where the city will decide whether to keep the program. If it does, the PUD would have to be amended.
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Venetian Bay was built in 2004 and is privately run, but the city is responsible for approving the design and configuration of the parking.
The new parking costs $2.50 an hour and is enforced by the development company.
We reached out to Geosam for comment and are still waiting to hear back.
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