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Courthouse expansion to create parking jam

Next week, the $17-million courthouse project will fence off nearly all employee parking. Intense competition for spots is forecast.

By COLLEEN JENKINS
Published April 22, 2005

NEW PORT RICHEY - Every courthouse employee got the memo, printed on turquoise paper:

"With the West Pasco Judicial Center construction beginning in just a few weeks, you may already be thinking of how 20 months of construction and 183 less parking spaces will affect your commute. The answer is simple. Make a change in your daily routine."

A bus schedule was attached.

It wasn't a joke.

Late next week, county officials expect a contractor to begin work on the long-awaited, $17-million courthouse expansion. The first order of business will be erecting a fence around nearly all of the current employee parking.

County officials have asked courthouse supervisors to encourage bus riding or car pooling by their employees.

But with just two bus lines that stop outside the courthouse only once every hour, the more likely scenario will be employees nabbing the remaining parking spaces early in the morning. Those are spaces typically filled by other courthouse patrons, who already face a parking crunch on most days of the week.

The county isn't sending out a memo to the public. So here's a suggestion to anyone with an upcoming court date: Get there early.

And be prepared to walk.

"It's going to be interesting," said prosecutor Mary Handsel. "For the general public, they're not going to be happy at all."

The loss of so many parking spaces is a growing pain no one is looking forward to. In recent weeks, county officials have been looking for any possible space to squeeze in extra spots.

Some lucky prosecutors, public defenders and judicial staff members will be among the 30 people granted parking passes for county-rented spots behind Jeannie's Restaurant, which sits across the street on Little Road.

Frank James, county facilities management director, said another 70 spots will be available on grassy areas between the judicial center and county government building. Some of those areas will be painted with lines to help guide courthouse visitors.

Government workers who use county vehicles also are going to be asked to park on other county property, such as the public libraries, when their vehicles aren't in use, James said.

"Basically, people are going to have to park wherever they can," he said. "There just aren't enough paved places. We're looking for people to park on grass areas."

One courthouse employee joked she will pack her sneakers for the long walks to work. Others said they doubt they'll run as many lunchtime errands, for fear of losing their spots.

"I just don't think they've been very thorough in their ideas about how everybody's going to get a parking spot," Handsel said. "Monday mornings you can't find a parking place out here anyways."

The three-story courthouse addition will hold nine courtrooms, accompanying judges' chambers and holding cells for inmates. The existing building will be renovated to expand the clerk of courts, public defender, state attorney and court administration offices.

The county has asked the Pasco Sheriff's Office not to ticket cars parked on the grass during the construction, according to minutes from a facilities management meeting last month.

And judges likely will show at least some lenience for those with legitimate parking predicaments, said Ron Stuart, a spokesman for the 6th Judicial Circuit, which includes Pasco and Pinellas counties.

"I don't think judges are going to be throwing people in jail because they couldn't find a parking space," he said.

"Unfortunately, court must go on."

Colleen Jenkins covers courts in west Pasco County. She can be reached at 727 869-6236 or cjenkins@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 22, 2005, 00:44:19]