Matt Grimison
Staff Writer - Daytona Beach News-Journal
April 25, 2000
DAYTONA BEACH -- The new beachside parking garage will not become a haven for time-share solicitors if a preliminary
plan unveiled Monday is adopted.
Instead of giving the controversial solicitors free reign in the garage and a pedestrian walkway planned over Atlantic
Avenue, officials proposed allowing only informational brochures in controlled booths to ensure that garage patrons
are not targets.
"There would be a kiosk that we would add, and allow no other solicitation on the premises," Ocean Center
Director Rick Hamilton said Monday.
Discussion of the solicitors came up during a meeting Monday of the Volusia Redevelopment Parking Corp., the nonprofit
board that will become the garage's ultimate owner.
The board did not take any action regarding the solicitor policy, but heard the proposal from Hamilton, whose facility
is directly next to and served by the garage.
Some question remains surrounding whether such regulation of solicitors is possible.
Dick Kelton, president of the corporation, asked whether there could be legal implications to restricting commercial
free-speech rights, which solicitors enjoy on the beach, albeit with stringent rules.
The question is, is the garage in the same category as the beach, in terms of a public facility?" Kelton said.
Jon Kaney, the corporation's attorney, said he would research that issue and report back to the board at its next
meeting.
The board heard reports on several policy questions Monday as it anticipates taking control of the garage by June.
Community Development Properties Inc., a nonprofit agency in New York that acts as a middle man for public projects,
now owns the 1,500-space structure since it floated the $12 million in bonds to pay for the garage.
The issue of signs on the garage also came up because the Adventure Landing theme park adjacent to the garage wants
to put up exterior signs announcing its location, since it is largely hidden by the garage.
Since the park leases space in the garage, it has the right to put up signs as long as they comply with Daytona
Beach city rules, officials say.
However, there is plenty of space for signs inside the garage that the garage operators Central Parking System
Inc. could sell to potential advertisers.
So far the plan is for the advertising to be available to companies that enter into validation agreements with
Central Parking, where they buy parking rights in the structure to offer free to their patrons.
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