The chairman of the Amenity Authority Committee is raising awareness about Bad Parking in The Villages, particularly when it involves handicapped parking.
AAC Chairman Don Deakin at Wednesday’s meeting put up on the big screen a photo which illustrated his point.
“The golf cart is parked illegally, making it very difficult for the red van, which is legally parked in the ‘handicap’ area at the Chatham postal station, to leave without backing all the way out to the entrance,” Deakin said.
He added that it also posed a risk to the van of getting hit by other vehicles turning into the postal station.
“This issue is not unique to the Chatham postal station. Illegal parking is an issue throughout The Villages, in every District, every recreation facility, and every commercial area, from County Road 42 all the way down to Fenney,” Deakin said
AAC member Lowell Barker said he experienced a similar frustration when he recently pulled into a handicapped parking spot at Publix, but soon discovered he was trapped in his car. Another vehicle pulled into the hash-marked area next to the handicapped parking spot, which meant Barker could not swing his door open.
“Bad Parking hasn’t improved. It’s sad to think that someone is stuck because of someone who is inconsiderate,” said AAC member Ann Forrester.
She recommended having Community Watch, while on regular patrol, pass through the postal stations to send a message.
District Manager Richard Baier said the postal stations pose a special problem when it comes to any type of parking issue.
“The nature of the postal stations is such that people are in and out rather quickly. Even if the county or town or jurisdiction has an enforceable parking ordinance, the offender is going to be gone by the time law enforcement arrives,” he said.
Director of Property Management Blair Bean recommended using “better communication” to make sure residents have a clearer understanding of handicapped parking and what it means to be courteous. The AAC agreed this would be the best approach and encouraged using public information channels to communicate to residents the need to be respectful, particularly when it comes to handicapped parking.