Gulfport City Council Workshop on Timed and Paid Parking - October 2, 2025

The City of Gulfport held a workshop meeting on Thursday, October 2, 2025, to discuss the possibility of implementing timed and/or paid parking in the Waterfront District. Mayor Sam Love opened the meeting by emphasizing that it was a conversation only, with no proposal, ordinance, or vote. The meeting included opening remarks from council members, nearly two hours of public comment, and wrap-up comments. No decisions were made, but the council gathered extensive input from residents and business owners to inform future planning.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were on the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Byron Shalfant (owner of Siri's Gourmet Burgers and Pizza, Gulfport resident): Stated that parking problems significantly affect his business. He advocated for timed parking (maximum four hours) to increase turnover and suggested a parking garage between the senior center and library. He opposed metered parking but supported a system like “first two hours free.”
• Nat Kitter (resident, 46 years in Gulfport): Supported timed parking (suggested two hours) and argued that the city needs tools to regulate abuse of parking. He referenced St. Petersburg’s central business district model where employees can get permits.
• Gloria E. Hart (Town Shores resident): Opposed both paid and timed parking, stating that parking abuse is not widespread and that free parking is part of Gulfport’s unique, “keep it weird” character.
• Bonnie Sklar (Gulfport resident): Opposed paid parking, open to timed parking, and urged finding designated employee parking to free up customer spaces.
• Joe Ginther (co-owner of O’Maddie’s Bar and Grill): Read a letter from Barbara Banno (owner of Stella’s) who opposed paid or timed parking, citing free parking as a unique advantage. Ginther added that Gulfport has tried this four times before, each failing, and opposed both paid and timed parking, warning of spillover parking in neighborhoods.
• Thomas Luciano (owner of Tommy’s Hideaway): Opposed paid parking, supported timed parking only as a compromise. He emphasized that Gulfport is not a large tourist destination and that free parking is essential to its small town character.
• Courtney Pro Capis (resident near Stetson area): Proposed a business offset fee to fund alternative transportation (bike lanes, shuttles, tuk-tuks). Discussed accessibility and noted that parking enforcement inherently involves revenue.
• Jennifer Donch (Premier Drive resident): Argued against paid parking on fiscal grounds – hiring enforcement and buying software would cost more than the revenue from limited spaces.
• Karen Schwartz (resident): Supported timed parking over paid, but noted cost concerns. She mentioned bike rack shortages and suggested validating parking for longer stays.
• Laura Oldaney (9th Avenue South resident): Opposed paid parking, concerned about stress of time limits, and asked for cost data before further discussion.
• Lisa Kaufman (Shore Boulevard resident): Opposed overnight parking due to safety concerns with van dwellers, but also opposed paid parking.
• Bridget Marshall (Town Shores resident): Opposed paid parking, suggested designated 15-minute pickup spaces for takeout orders.
• Chamber representative (treasurer of Gulfport Merchants Chamber): Presented survey results: “overwhelmingly unfavorable toward paid parking”; if timed parking, a three-hour minimum was preferred. Warned of spillover problems and called for a holistic parking analysis.

Discussion Items

• Mayor Love’s opening remarks: Explained why the council is discussing parking now (long-standing complaints, post‑storm redevelopment, upcoming new restaurants, previous council’s reluctance). Clarified that no proposal exists and the meeting is purely for listening. She noted that modern paid parking systems allow city control over pricing, free first hours, resident discounts, and business coupons.
• Councilmember Nancy Earley: Mentioned her earlier town hall on parking (four years ago) with no consensus. Suggested giving workers stickers to park in resident-only zones south of 28th Avenue. Also noted that the federal government shutdown may halt new flood insurance policies, affecting property sales.
• Councilmember Marlene Shaw: Said she had heard more residents in favor of parking regulation in recent years, but emphasized that the meeting was to hear from the public, not to decide yet.
• Wrap-up by Mayor Love and Councilmember Earley: Both thanked participants. Councilmember Earley shared cost estimates from a previous study: first-year implementation $50–70,000, ongoing $25–40,000/year for paid parking, and about 2.5–3 staff for timed enforcement. She also recalled the failed Gecko golf cart shuttle. No consensus was formed; the council will consider input for the Gulfport 2050 planning process.

Key Outcomes

• No vote or decision was taken; the meeting was solely a discussion to gather public input.
• The council will use the feedback to inform future planning, likely as part of the Gulfport 2050 vision.
• Mayor Love stressed that no changes are imminent, and any future proposal would involve further public engagement.