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Downtown restaurateurs’ counsel tells council parking changes are hurting business
Summary
An attorney for Bruno's of Brooklyn told the council that recent parking regulations have confused customers and reduced downtown commerce, urging a permanent return to the relaxed 'after 5' policy or restoration of the original rules.
Rachel Thomas, an attorney representing Bruno's of Brooklyn, delivered a late-submitted statement to the Fort Myers City Council saying the restaurant owners have seen customer confusion and reduced revenues since the city's new downtown parking regulations went into effect.
"My name is Rachel Thomas, and I'm an attorney with Pavees Law Firm," Thomas said, reading comments submitted on behalf of the Brunos. Thomas said downtown merchants "are experiencing higher costs due to inflation and lower revenues due to parking problems" and urged the council to make the relaxed after-5 parking rules permanent or consider returning to the original policies that merchants say were easier for customers.
Thomas said customers are comparing Fort Myers with neighboring municipalities that offer free parking and that social media and local coverage reflect frustration with the rollout. The Brunos asked the council to weigh the downtown district's large public and private investment when setting parking policy.
Council took the testimony into account during the later debate and ultimately voted to codify after-5 free parking and free weekends.
