Boaters Return to Find their Trailers Towed at Palmetto Boat Ramp

Two signs on the vacant lot alert residents of the tow away zone adajcent to the Palmetto boat ramp.

PALMETTO – Several boating enthusiasts found themselves stranded Sunday evening when they returned to their launching place and discovered their cars, trucks and trailers were towed to south Sarasota.

Direct Towing, located at 3951 N. Osprey Ave in Sarasota, arrived with approximately four tow trucks around noon on Sunday, over the next hour they removed at least twice that many vehicles and boat trailers that were parked on the private lot across from the Palmetto public boat ramp. Several of the owners had been parking there for many years.

The towing company refused to divulge the exact number of vehicles towed from the scene, but witnesses estimated the number as more than nine. 

Steve Nadeau, who handles real estate properties for Superior Bank in Sarasota, said the incident was the property owners’ last resort to a yearlong problem. After purchasing the property in March 2010, the bank began consulting the City of Palmetto about illegal parking on the property.  Nadeau asked for advice on how to avoid any liability issues related to trailers utilizing the property as additional parking for the boat ramp. Officials advised him to put up signs and ask the Palmetto Police Department to enforce the efforts. When that didn’t work, Nadaeu said the only other option was to fence off the property or have vehicles towed.

“If we were to fence in the property, it would be a maintenance problem so we opted to put up signs,” said Nadeau. “People just vandalized the signs and tore them down.”

Parking at the Palmetto boat ramp is insufficient for the number of boaters that utilize the amenity.

Most of the people parking on the premises said they did not notice the two signs on the property that are located at either end of a dirt drive.

“I honestly thought the property was owned by the county,” said John Wilson, one of the boat owners whose trailer was towed. “I’ve been parking there for over five years. There is no clear signage – it looks like the sign marked “tow away zone” is part of the old gas station property. “

Many of the boaters had their entire families with them. They had to make arrangements to pick up their cars that day and were charged an additional $50 because the towing occurred on a Sunday – making the total fine around $240 according to Wilson.

The unexpected trek to south Sarasota was even more upsetting.

“Why would they not use a local company?” said Clay Bruneman, another boater involved in  the incident.

According to Nadeau, Superior Bank did try to contact a local wrecker. They were given Steve White’s Mobile as a reference. However, the business refused to take the job.

“He wanted a bank representative to be present for every vechicle that was towed,” said Nadeau. “That was not feasible, since we’re based in Sarasota, so we went with a company we had worked with before.”

The event had all parties questioning the parking situation for the boat ramp.

“Where do they expect people to park? Asked Nadeau. “There shouldn’t be a ramp there if there isn’t the appropriate parking.”

Currently the Palmetto Redevelopment Agency is working with the county to get the issue resolved. There is a pending interlocal agreement that would allow the CRA is to purchase and redevelop the two parcels located at the northwest corner of Eighth Avenue and Riverside Drive. If acquired, the CRA intends to redevelop the Property with mixed-use development along with a substantial parking lot.  The agreement would allow the county to continue to maintain the boat ramp as a free recreational amenity.

Since there is such a shortage of parking at the boat ramp, the CRA is would  grant an easement to allow  parking by the public for automobiles and boat trailers. If the interlocal agreement is not approved by all the entities involved by the December 31 deadline, it will terminate.

“The bank needs to sell this property and can’t hold on to it any longer,” said Nadeau. “If the city won’t buy it, we’ll have to sell it to someone else and there probably be no additional parking for the ramp.”

A site plan proposed by the CRA would incorporate additional parking as well as mixed-use commercial space. The plan is still pending approval.