The LaBelle boat ramp has 18 parking spaces, with 14 marked for boat trailer parking only and four spaces available for those meeting someone at the ramp or using the pavilions [Photo by Richard Marion/Hendry County News]

LABELLE – Parking at the LaBelle boat ramp will be strictly enforced under an ordinance change approved at the May 14 meeting of the Hendry County Commission.

“We’ve had some problems at the boat ramp with neighboring businesses parking at the boat ramp and not leaving enough room for boaters,” explained Director of Planning and Community Development Ryan Alexander.

“It has also come to staff’s attention that aircraft are coming up into the LaBelle boat ramp and it is causing a safety issue,” Alexander continued.

He said the boat trailer spots in the parking lot are already marked, and they will add more signage that these spots are for boat ramp parking only.

The LaBelle boat ramp has 18 parking spaces, with 14 marked for boat trailer parking only and four spaces available for those meeting someone at the ramp or using the pavilions.

Commissioners agreed to set fines for vehicles without boat trailers that are parked in the designated spots. First violation will receive a warning; second violation, a $100 fine; third violation, a $200 fine.

They also agreed to ban aircraft from the boat ramps.

Ryan Alexander said there is also a problem with people parking in the fire lane.

Commissioner Ramon Iglesias said they may have to tow some cars.

“Until you send that flair up into in the air and get a couple of people towed, nothing is really going to change,” he said. “You need to get law enforcement involved, because the day that fire services need to show up and do what they need to do, someone is going to be parked there.”

Commissioner Mitchell Wills said the fines need to be high enough to defer illegal parking.

“Think about this,” said Wills. “Your loved one is on a boat. They’ve had a heart attack. They can’t get an ambulance in there because everything is blocked.”

“The problem is you have a public boat ramp that is used by people who want to go out on the river,” said Iglesias. “But there are local businesses that are using the parking facility, or their patrons are, so that when people try to use the boat ramp, they are unable to because there is nowhere to park.”

“In the summertime when the ramp is getting the peak business of the season boaters are parking their trucks and trailers out on the side of County Road 78 and that is a serious safety hazard there,” said Commissioner Emory “Rowdy” Howard. “If we had to get an ambulance or a fire truck in there it would almost be impossible, the way parking is going right now. In fact, we did have a large boat fire at that location, and they struggled with enough room to get in there.”