Residents’ concerns put Bayshore Arts District success at risk

The people who live in the Bayshore Arts District say their neighborhood is building toward the future.

The foundation: a safe place for families to live with art and food to enjoy.

“I’ve gone from seeing what I believe is probably the largest homeless camp across the street from me…to waking up in the morning and seeing moms pushing baby strollers and women power walking in the morning,” said owner of A. Jaron Fine Jewelry, Amanda Jaron.

Jaron invested in Bayshore by opening her store in the area.

However, she and several others say parking is a huge issue. That’s why Thursday’s Collier County Hearing Examiner meeting hosted a packed house.

Celebration Park food truck owner Rebecca Maddox attended in hopes that the county would grant her parking lot exemption.

“The parking lot is absolutely critical to the continued success,” she said.

Some homeowners near the park say Maddox didn’t get permission to build the lot and that the property is not zoned for a parking lot. They also say it’s a safety hazard.

“Dogs on leashes, children in strollers, children walking, phones, food, drinks in their hands… not watching for cars,” said area resident Dennis Samblanet.

Maddox promised to work with neighbors to ease their concerns by adding sidewalks and a decorative wall that would lead to a single crosswalk to get to the food truck park.

“There’s no on-street parking, so the county, the CRA and the individual business owners, we are all trying to figure out extra parking. Otherwise, the street can’t grow,” said Maddox.

She fears that if businesses can’t grow, people will no longer want to invest in Bayshore.