VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Beginning September 1, it will cost you to park in Venetian Bay’s town center.
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The massive community off State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach has its own shops and restaurants that are open to the public but even homeowners will be required to pay.
There is growing concern from both home and business owners about the change. Business owners will have the option to validate parking for customers, but they said that will cost them thousands of dollars a year.
Neighbors blame the construction of new apartments on Lunabella Lane saying there isn’t adequate parking for the hundreds of people who will eventually live there.
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Dozens of people packed into the Happy Deli on Wednesday with signs to push back against the new parking plan.
Homeowner Carl Scharwath was bothered by the notice from the developer called Geosam, encouraging neighbors to walk instead of drive if they don’t want to pay to park where the shops and restaurants are located.
“We live in Florida! There is rain, there is heat. That is ridiculous,” said Scharwath.
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Business owners have already lost a large chunk of customer parking because of the construction of the new apartments. They claim, people often call and cancel orders or reservations because they can’t find a place to park.
“We’ve got nine businesses and all of us live and work here, and we all have to share this space and it is difficult,” said owner of Happy Deli, Thomas Greiner.
“To ask people to pay more or our businesses to pay more when our food cost is up, our labor cost is up, I mean I don’t really know how we are supposed to survive off that,” said Bistro 424 employee Jenna Hawkins.
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Venetian Bay was built in 2004 and is privately run but the city is responsible for approving parking design and configuration. A spokesperson told Eyewitness News that New Smyrna Beach has no control over parking lot management.
“I am not going to blame our developer per say because they are doing whatever the city will let them. This is all on the city,” said Carl Scharwath.
We also reached out to the developer who came up with the plans to ask why this move was necessary and have not heard back. Neighbors said they have been told the parking would be set an hourly rate of $2.50.
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