Island views: What do you think about Marco's system of issuing parking tickets for parking on the grass, etc.?

Steve Auguste

Marco Island

To me, it’s not fair, because if you are a guest or visitor, you don’t know Marco Island yet, and you don’t know where you can and cannot park. I don’t see any reason to give someone a ticket. Maybe they can give you a warning, to tell you not to park somewhere. Otherwise, it isn’t really fair to the person, and that isn’t good for the Island. I am from Paris, and moved here because I work in tourism. When someone visits Marco, I want them to feel welcome.

Carla Botalla

The challenge is always which is the lesser of two evils. So, I don’t have a definitive response. Many times, there are two sides to an issue. You can have problems or damage because emergency vehicles can’t get through. That’s a tough one. Would I want people parking in my swale? I wouldn’t want it, either. So, I don’t know. Because I happen to have a large driveway, and therefore don’t have the problem, is only one side of the argument. There are designated areas to park, and there are designated areas not to park. I think the real issue is to balance the situation, so that it is adequate for both sides.

Bill Acosta

My answer is this: considering the type of place that Marco Island is, where there are a lot of people who have opulent lifestyles and large homes, who don’t have this problem, there are also those who have modest homes, who have guests and visitors, too. The Island needs that. I am often concerned to see so many empty spaces in our three biggest shopping centers. It is a reflection of the local economy, and when we ticket people when we could give them a warning instead, what we are doing is scaring them away. So, I think we could give warning notices, and then after several warnings, a fine would be appropriate. That would be fair, but in the meantime, to scare people away from Marco Island, the paradise that we claim it is, is something we should think seriously about. I am one of the founders of AT&T International. I have other homes. I have been thinking of selling the one here; I am very concerned for the economic future of Marco Island.