Beach scooter parking plan coming to rest of Normandy Isle

Residents struggle to find parking outside their apartments in multi-family areas of Normandy Isle in North Beach, but new parking rules seem to be helping free up some spaces that were once taken by motorcycles.

A program to provide motorcycles and scooters designated parking areas and make room for more cars in full spots has been successful at corralling the smaller vehicles on the south side of Normandy Isle, so city officials want to expand it to the rest of the island.

In March, the city created spots in the neighborhood south of the Normandy Fountain where several motorcycles and scooters could park in groups so that full curbside spots would be left to cars. Now, motorcycles and scooters parked in car spots will be towed.

But Saul Frances, Miami Beach’s parking director, told the Miami Herald that the city hasn’t had to enforce the new rules that much because nearly everyone in the neighborhood is complying.

After word of the program spread, residents in other parts of the island started asking for it to come to their streets.

In early July, the city will start to create the same motorcycle/scooter spots in the rest of the island, including Bay, Marseilles and Calais drives. Just like with the first section, notices will be sent to residents and signs will be posted, and there will be a grace period before warnings, citations and eventually towing will start.

“However, we anticipate little to no enforcement action as this was our experience with the pilot program where there was virtually full voluntary compliance and very few enforcement actions taken,” Frances said.

This story was originally published June 28, 2016 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Beach scooter parking plan coming to rest of Normandy Isle."