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Weekend BayWalk car ban possible
City Council members say it would ease congestion and allow protests Friday and Saturday nights.
By CARRIE JOHNSON
Published August 19, 2005
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[Times photo Lara Cerri] | Protesters Caitlin Kuleci, left, Laurel Dickman, Don Musselman, Don's son Sean Musselman, and Suzanne Hjerpe spent a Saturday evening earlier this month BayWalk, flashing peace signs and expressing their thoughts on poster board. Hjerpe and the Musselmans have participated in other protests and rallies throughout the Tampa Bay area.
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ST. PETERSBURG - First the city administration suggested creating "no-protest zones."
Then the metal barricades went up.
Now some City Council members are proposing another tactic for dealing with protesters who congregate by the busy BayWalk entertainment complex: closing the street to cars on Friday and Saturday nights and removing the barricades.
"To me, that just makes the most sense," said City Council member John Bryan. "The protesters win, and the pedestrians win."
Police Chief Chuck Harmon is opposed to the idea, saying it would be costly and could lead to more confrontations between protesters and those who disagree with their views.
"I just don't think it's necessary at this time," Harmon said.
Stung by a flood of criticism from people who believe the barricades violate free speech, the City Council directed the administration last week to come up with alternate solutions for easing congestion outside BayWalk.
City staff members are expected to release a memo today outlining possible remedies. In addition to closing a block of Second Avenue N, the list will include one concept that was rejected amid criticism earlier this year: giving the sidewalk to Sembler Co., which owns and manages BayWalk, said Kevin Dunn, managing director of development coordination.
That would allow BayWalk to ban all protests there.
The president of the company that owns and manages BayWalk, Craig Sher, has said the protesters hurt businesses and jeopardize public safety.
While the city has the legal authority to give the sidewalk to BayWalk, City Council members have so far balked, expressing concern about limiting free speech.
"Legislating for one part of the sidewalk, I'm not necessarily in favor of doing," council member James Bennett said. "I don't know if we're ready to cross that bridge."
Sher was traveling Thursday and could not be reached for comment.
Last year, the city administration explored creating "pedestrian safety zones" outside BayWalk, where picketing would be prohibited. The idea was shelved after it was lambasted by citizens.
The barricades, which look like metal bicycle racks, were erected by the city administration and Police Department in July as a means of keeping pedestrian traffic flowing without limiting the protesters' rights to demonstrate.
On Aug. 6, six antiwar protesters, including a 13-year-old boy, with the group St. Pete for Peace were arrested outside BayWalk. Since then, council members have been bombarded by e-mails and phone calls from people complaining about the barricades.
"Both the literal and figurative barricades to free speech erected in St. Petersburg must be removed immediately," city resident Thaddeus Ryan wrote in an e-mail to the council.
"I and everyone I know will continue boycotting BayWalk until you give St. Pete for Peace their constitutional right to protest," wrote Jim Loveland, also a St. Petersburg resident.
Council member Virginia Littrell said the barricades have made BayWalk less safe by forcing pedestrians to walk into the streets to avoid them. Closing the streets on Friday and Saturday nights would reduce the danger, she said.
"If there really is a public safety problem, then it would be better for the pedestrians to be able to traverse Second Avenue without cars," Littrell said.
Five of the eight council members expressed support for exploring the option in interviews Thursday. Mayor Rick Baker, who was attending a Florida League of Cities conference in Orlando, could not be reached.
Harmon said closing the street is impractical. It would take six to eight more officers to patrol the area if the streets were closed, he said. And the opportunity for conflict could increase.
"The vehicular traffic also helps us control pedestrian traffic," Harmon said. "If you close off the streets and avenue, then it takes more resources to work those areas."
He said the barricades are working. Jaywalking has decreased and parents are dropping off their children in different locations, reducing the bottleneck of cars along Second Avenue, Harmon said.
"Anything you do to address a public safety problem is not going to be liked by everybody," Harmon said.
But at least for a while, nothing will change. After council members receive the memo, they must schedule a committee meeting to discuss options. A vote is unlikely for at least two weeks.
Until then, the barricades will remain.
Carrie Johnson can be reached at 727 892-2273 or cjohnson@sptimes.com
[Last modified August 19, 2005, 01:04:19]
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