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St. Augustine commission hears mixed calls to extend ‘Nights of Lights,’ pilots 5 p.m. parking compromise for Uptown
Summary
At a midseason update commissioners heard data showing heavier garage and shuttle use, business complaints of lost revenue tied to 1 p.m. parking restrictions, and repeated public calls to extend Nights of Lights into January; staff warned extensions would require extra contracts and funding. The commission directed staff to test commercial/residential parking adjustments (residents‑only after 5 p.m. on trial blocks) and return with options.
City officials reported an operational midseason update for Nights of Lights as residents and business owners pressed for changes to the temporary parking rules and some asked the commission to extend the season into January.
City Manager (staff) told the commission the city garage held 2,409 vehicles on Light‑Up Night (22 more than last year) and had to close 26 times this season. Shuttle ridership rose from 11,356 visitors during a comparable window last year to 19,635 visitors over an eight‑day span this year. Officials said portable restrooms, contracted cleaning and additional barricading have reduced pressure on permanent restrooms and private businesses.
Why it matters: merchants supplied multiple examples of declining sales in November and early December that they attribute to the new 1 p.m. residential parking restrictions in Uptown. Business owners said earlier enforcement cut into afternoon and early‑evening commerce; residents and other speakers countered that the residential program has reduced dangerous traffic and restored neighborhood quality of life.
“I’d like to respectfully ask you to consider extending Nights of Lights by two additional weeks to stabilize January staffing and protect small businesses,” Irving Cass told the commission, adding that a modest extension “would help tens of thousands of local workers” in hospitality and retail.
City Manager and staff pushed back on that option as costly and operationally complicated. “Most of our services for Nights of Lights are contractual and end Jan. 11,” the City Manager said; extending the event would require renegotiating shuttle, portable restroom, barricade and cleaning contracts, updating the sheriff’s security plan and potentially funding additional days from reserves.
On parking, the city reported a short trial that made the first block of Rode Avenue and the first block of Cincinnati Avenue residents‑only after 5 p.m., leaving those blocks available to businesses during the day. Staff said that test has been received favorably by residents and merchants and recommended expanding similar treatments to other mixed‑use blocks. Several Uptown business owners urged reopening commercial curb spaces that had been reclassified as resident‑only in places where the zoning is commercial.
Commission direction and next steps: commissioners signaled support for (1) continuing the 5 p.m. pilot for the test blocks, (2) staff analysis of applying commercially zoned curb rules to the first commercial blocks off San Marco Avenue and (3) work to better market and open workforce parking options (Tokes Place and Granada Street lots) to small businesses and employees. Commissioners asked staff to return with a short implementation plan and cost estimate before any change to the official Nights of Lights schedule.
The commission did not approve a citywide extension of Nights of Lights at the meeting. Staff said it will produce a after‑season report with daily costs, ridership and parking metrics to inform future decisions.
