HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Living on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is like having your own piece of paradise.
Terry Gold, Sandpiper resident: “It’s beautiful out there. Very tranquil, quiet.”
Terry Gold bought her condo at the Sandpiper 30 years ago, complete with private parking.
Terry Gold: “I bought the apartment with the idea that I have my parking right outside the back door.”
Sandpiper has nine units, with 10 private parking spaces … until now.
That’s because the City of Hollywood is reclaiming five spots to make Oklahoma Street wider.
Jeanette Garcia, Sandpiper resident: “They proceeded to tell me that the property that we had as our parking spaces was not really our property.”
Jeanette Garcia is president of Sandpiper’s homeowner’s association. She says the eight-and-a-half feet of space that extends from the building to Oklahoma Street is the owner’s property.
Jeanette Garcia: “We went through our records and we found that the property is in fact ours. It’s on our survey. It’s actually recorded on our condo docs with the city.”
The City of Hollywood disagrees. Officials wouldn’t comment on camera, but said in a statement that the condo document given to them “…clearly illustrates tenants encroaching on the public right-of-way for their own private parking needs and personal benefit.”
And the city says, “…the public right-of-way can be used at any time for the public improvements deemed necessary for the greater good of the general public.”
That’s bad news for Terry who has trouble walking.
Terry Gold: “I’m just upset about the whole situation. I’ve got to have the parking.”
One solution that was offered by the City is that owners can buy an annual discount parking permit that’s good for the metered spots here on the street and at a new parking garage three blocks away.
Sandpiper residents say it’s not enough.
Jeanette Garcia: “That’s a safety issue for me and my children. If I had to walk three or four blocks with small children in tow, I don’t think I’d put my children at risk.”
Owners also worry that their property values will drop, especially for those who choose to rent out their units during the season.
Michelle Beltran, Sandpiper owner: “People are going to choose a place where there’s parking rather than a place where there is not parking, and it’s going to definitely knock down the value.”
So while redevelopment work creeps closer to their beach paradise, these owners say they will continue to fight to keep the city from taking the land they say is theirs.
Residents say will be meeting with city officials on July 11 at the Sandpiper with surveys in hand to see once and for all just who owns those eight-and-a-half feet of land on Oklahoma Street.
Brandon Beyer, 7News.
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