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For some, Plant football comes at a price

PALMA CEIA A $30 ticket, courtesy of Tampa police and the school's neighbors, await those who park illegally on certain streets at home games.

By Elisabeth Dyer Times Staff Writer
Published October 26, 2007

He walked up to a line of cars parked along Cardenas Avenue and tucked a ticket under a windshield wiper. In the distance, a man emerged from one of the cars. "I can't park there?"

"No," Fleita said, "See the sign? There's no parking on this street."

It's a scene that plays out at urban schools around Tampa when games and events draw thousands of spectators.

With no room for extra parking on campus, fans flood neighboring streets, to the frustration of residents who say they can barely leave their property during game time.

Around Plant, Tampa police ticketed more than 200 people during the team's three home football games, Fleita said.

At $30 a pop, that's more than $6,000. "When one person starts parking, everyone thinks it's okay," Fleita said.

Leslie Lopez, who was with a group of friends, left during the game but was dismayed to find a ticket under her wiper blade. "I deserve it," she said. "I just wasn't sure about what the sign allowed."

The sign near her car read: "2 hour parking 8 a.m. to 5 p.m."

Dee Monte moved to her home on Cardenas in the 1990s. She had no children who attended the school and can't exactly be described as a Panther fan.

"During the Plant games, our streets become parking lots," Monte said. She says getting out of her driveway gets tricky and she calls police every time Plant has a home game - which is why Fleita was there last week.

Plant's next home game, against the rival Jefferson Dragons, is Nov. 2.

The problem, she says, is that the brick streets are narrow and there are no sidewalks, so people walk in the packed streets, which she worries is dangerous.

Even on surrounding streets where parking is legal, many yards have signs posted: five- minute parking. Roadways are still cramped. Cars crept between a Hummer on one side of San Jose Street and a line of cars on the other side.

The solution, Monte believes, is a parking garage at Plant, much like the one at Blake High School. Last year, the school district also built a parking garage at Rampello Downtown School for about $5.4-million.

"We'll consider all options," district spokeswoman Linda Cobbe said. "Probably the biggest obstacle would be the funding. We have schools to renovate, schools to build and schools to add on to meet the class-size amendment."

Complaints from Plant neighbors come every year, Cobbe said.

She's never heard from neighbors at any other school, although she suspects it's a problem at Hillsborough High School, another neighborhood school surrounded by narrow streets.

That's not the case at Jefferson High School in the Carver City/Lincoln Gardens area. The school is surrounded by businesses with lots where students and parents can park after business hours, she said.

Plant's homecoming game drew about 2,400 people.

After they filled campus parking spots and the church lot across the street, they spilled into the surrounding streets.

"They have to park in the neighborhood," said assistant principal Laura Figueredo.

"There's not enough parking here on our campus for football games. Our football team has been successful and people want to attend."

Administrators ask students and parents to avoid areas where there is no parking. Figueredo said it's a problem that comes with landlocked schools.

"It's a good problem to have," Figueredo said. "People want to come to Plant - our academic and athletic programs are really good."

Plant's student population grew this year by about 100, mostly drawn from private schools, Figueredo said.

Administrators sell a limited number of parking decals, starting with seniors and then juniors.

Former Plant student Tyler Fry pulled into a legal spot on San Jose last week after the game had started.

"There are streets you can park on," Fry said. "You just got to know where they are."

Elisabeth Dyer can be reached at edyer@sptimes.com or 813 226-3321.

[Last modified October 25, 2007, 07:48:56]