State Restricts Parking Near Dona Vista Businesses

    “It’s a waste of government money.”
    Bea Carlson, owner of Bz's Happy Plants in Dona Vista, this week is struggling with new Florida Department of Transportation signage that eliminates the historic parking in front of her nursery. Carlson, who has operated at the location for many years, is concerned the new restrictions will negatively impact the ability of customers and delivery trucks to access her location.
    She’s not alone. Next door, Barbara Walker’s Signature Designs embroidery business, also in operation at the location for several years, has also seen ‘no parking’ signs go up in front of her business late last week.
    “It’s never been an issue,” Walker said this week about the parking that is near SR 19 South. “This building has been here since 1950.”
    Neither business owner denies the strip of land in question is near the highway, nor that the state controls the area. However, they both report being told at the onset of the recent road and sidewalk project in the area that they would be able to continue to use the area for parking.
    “They had told us they would put the sidewalk so far back so not to impede parking,” Walker said. Indeed the sidewalk through the area does track further away from the highway, in an apparent move to create a larger open space in front of the businesses.
    In Walker’s case, she said the state has actually told her in the past that she has legal parking in front of her business, but the signs have gone up anyway.
    "The parking doesn't impede traffic," Carlson said, and Walker concurs that she is unaware of there ever being an accident due to parking in the area.
    The business owners are attempting to work with officials at the FDOT to change the policy in the area, with hopes of at least allowing a loading zone in front of the nursery, and restoring the embroidery shop's previously legal parking.
    “I’m looking for Barbara to get her parking back,” Carlson said. “And I at least hope to be able to use the front as a loading zone for deliveries.”