Parking behind red sauce
 

I live in The Villages. I pay to live in The Villages. However I cannot park my car in the parking lot behind behind Red Sauce because I work at a restaurant within walking distance to this parking lot. Recently a tow truck was about to tow my car because I had a shirt on from a restaurant that I work at. In that same lot, people in cars as well as golf carts are always parked illegal along the curbing borders, preventing an open area for emergancy vehicles to enter and exit this area in case of an emergency such as fire or some other serious event. I do not know who authorizes this tow company to haul these cars away, but maybe they should be more concerned about having access for a fire truck or other type of emergency vehicle. After all there are at least three restaurants there that are always fill of people and and if a fire or something serious breaks out, easy access could save a life.

I agree. The sheriff needs to make a pass through there and hand out some tickets.

I agree, there is an abundance of illegal parking in that lot. I don't think your vehicle was being towed due to the shirt you had on. You were probably illegally parked as well.

I'm just glad Sumter county is finally addressing the parking issue in the square. It's about time!!

You live in The Villages and pay to live in The Villages, but once you became employed by a restaurant I believe all that changes. They are trying to keep parking available for patrons, not Villagers that happen to work at a restaurant nearby. Sorry, but this is my opinion. If you were going to Red Sauce for dinner - then park there.

Is the lot posted "parking for patrons only"? If not, they have no business towing cars that are parked legally.

I agree with this.

So where are employees allowed to park? I am not an employee but do wonder where they should Park? .I mean they do have to park some where.

I think the businesses would like to have their employee's park further away from their place of employment, so that customers can have the better and closer parking spots. Thats just a good business practice. I'm sure when employees report for work, there is a abundance of parking spots, hours before the busy time starts. I hope they think like this???

That lot appears to be for public parking. Unless it is owned exclusively by Redsauce and marked according, no one has a legal right to tell you not to park there. Employers cannot dictate parking, even if it is good for their business, in areas they do not own. And law enforcement cannot make you move if you are a legal resident and it is a general purpose lot.

I guess it depends on how much hell you want to raise, but I'd start with the Sheriff's department. Lots of people have cars towed and do it illegally.

Good luck.

Sad thing is that you were probably turned in by someone. I'm sure someone "in the know" called and identified your vehicle. How else would they know? If you were parked legally, they would not have towed your car for any other reason.

Hopefully the parking issue will be alleviated when Brownwood is completely developed. Parking issues raise tempers. I agree with Old Dave's comment and I doubt any restaurant owner owns any parking lots as they belong to LSL. I suspect most restaurant employees find parking and also suspect that those who complain about parking are johnny come lately's and hence rushed to park to get to work on time

I opine you decide

Well. Who do you think owns that parking lot, the buildings , and everything else? You only get one guess. They can DO what ever they decide to do and HOW they decide to do it. Get use to it if you are going to live here.

However I agree the illegal parking needs correcting.

This part about employee parking sounds very strange............there must be more to the story. Right?

:agree: It is common practice to require employees to park "a distance" from the business so customers can park as close as possible. This practice is especially important when parking is a premium----as it is in and around the town square and especially in the area OP mentions in his post. Tickets--- whoa nobody should get a ticket unless he/she is parked in a no parking spot that is clearly marked NO PARKING.

There's more than enough parking available in the area for employees to park that's within a 5 minute or less walk to Red Sauce. Click here to take a look-see google Satellite view showing a 5 minute walking route sample.

Very interesting SkyGuy!!!! I learned something

There is something about your post that I don't understand or you have left out or not made clear.

I don't think anyone would tow a car unless there was good reason for it and working at a restaurant is not a good reason.

Well to give you an example I work in a hospital system. I am at the in the country hospital, this week I had to go downtown and I parked in the visitor lot which I was...when I came out ther was a ticket on my car for illegal parking. So I went up to the officer showed him my badge and a record of the emergency procedure being done...he was not happy took the ticket back, and told me next time I come here to remove my hospital sticker...I smiled at him and said next time you are up to the country we won't write you a ticket, they leave a note on the car, and it says welcome how can we help you today...

Maybe you did not read or comprehend my whole post. Yes I was legally parked, it was 10.30 am. The tow truck driver is standing by to tow cars of employees of nearby shops and restaurants that park there. Is that to hard to understand.?

Are there parking places in that area that say " Parking for Red Sauce patrons only"?

In one of your earlier posts you said your wife worked at Red Sauce briefly.


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When you started your employment, was it mentioned that parking close to where you work could result in cars being towed? Maybe you might discuss this with your manager at work. In the meantime, it is probably better to park a bit away. Seems to be a common practice for many businesses, staff/employees park a bit away from the business so patrons/patients can park closer.

Well yes.
How did the tow truck driver know which cars belonged to employees? Did he/she have a list?
If a vehicle was towed what was the reason given for the tow when you went to claim the vehicle?
How many vehicles have been towed?
Where are they towed too?

finally the villages is putting warning signs on illegally parked vehicles at sumter square parking lots. Thank you!!!

Glad to hear it. Funny though how they waited for the Birds to fly before they started.

I guess they use the old license plates that people put on their carts to write the parking ticket to? I have been to that parking lot many times and have seen carts parked all over the place but not blocking access to emergency vehicles. I think they should paint lines for cart parking around the perimeter of the circle and make it legal. More parking is always a good thing. Handicap people should be mad at the handicap spots posted around the square as they are in violation of the Americans with disabilities act.

There are plenty of properly sized and marked handicap spots in the lots.

And I see people who park in the "hash marked"" areas for handicapped van access, and they see nothing wrong with that. They also deserve tickets. Back to the topic, seems like they had to have a way to ID the employees' cars or someone is calling the tow truck on them without discussing it with the persons being towed. Shame on them as it will be expensive to get their. Car back from the impound lot. It's not like the employees make a ton of money.

Not sure if you are getting scammed. Tow trucks do not tow cars off of private property without the business owners permission. As for The Villages or their property, they are totally against towing vehicles unless they obstruct emergency vehicles, and even then they will attempt to find the owner rather than tow your vehicle.

fwiw:

from the district gov website Village Community Development Districts

"Parking in Unauthorized Areas

"Community Watch and local law enforcement officials are teaming up in a new safety initiative to prevent golf carts and other vehicles from driving and parking on our sidewalks and other unauthorized areas. Not only is it in violation of District Rules, but driving and parking on the sidewalks is also extremely dangerous for our residents and guests enjoying a casual stroll through the community.

"Have you noticed the traffic cones that have been placed along our sidewalks at handicapped access points on the squares? The cones were placed there originally to discourage vehicles from parking on our sidewalks. In the first phase of our new initiative Community Watch will remove the existing traffic cones. Community Watch will now place red and black “WARNING” signs on vehicles parked in unauthorized areas. The warnings reference District Rules and are designed to educate vehicle operators of their parking infractions.

"Community Watch will partner with law enforcement in the second phase of the initiative to attempt to identify and notify owners of vehicles parked in violation of the District Rules. Owners will be given the opportunity to move their vehicles. As a last resort, drivers of vehicles repeatedly parked in violation of the District Rules may be prohibited access to any District property. We hope this action is not required, but the safety of our residents and guests must be assured.

"Please assist us in making our sidewalks safe for our residents and guests."

am sure this was posted there some time ago as i believe i read it before leaving last april.

I work at publix in colony and from jan.-april, there is always a reminder at the punch clock not to park anywhere in front of the store or in the front sections on the side of the store. All year we are not supposed to park immediately in front of the store. I suppose they could write you up in your file if you were found in violation, but legally i don't think they can tell you where to park.

But if you go in to town (not as an employee) you should be able to park in any legal spot - I assume?

But I get the employee parking away from the 'good spots' concept.

Puzzling
 

The only parts I don't understand is how a tow truck operator is able to identify the cars of employees versus those of the general public AND how they are able to differentiate if an employee who is NOT at work but is there as a member of the general public is parked there....

At the hospital we have to use tags on our rear view mirror when working. Mostly so they know who to contact if we leave our lights on etc.

They have to be within a certain length from an event or entrance of a business. Therefore the handicap parking in the squarers are in violation of the Americans with disabilities act. There should be about 8 handicap parking spaces around Sumter landing as per the amount of parking spaces available. Read the AWDA and find out.

I don't think that they can legally tell you where to park, but they can legally terminate your employment.

This is nothing new with employee parking as it was the same 40 years ago,when I worked part-time in retail at a large shopping center. We were told to take the rear parking spots and leave the closer parking to customers. This is nothing but good business!

You're lucky you can even FIND a parking space in Sumter area.

Was posted March 26, 2013...........News and Information

That's why the businesses all have back doors facing the parking lots. When the final building inspections are done, the priorities are: Life Safety(fire marshall), ADA, all the rest. I would bet that they meet or exceed ALL requirements.

- - On RARE occasions the parking may not be adequate.

We are truly thankful for the ability to live in this-- VIBRANT--
--ALIVE-- and EXCITING community.

The semi-circle formed by Old Camp Road / Lakeshore Dr
...has 2510 parking spaces surrounding Lake Sumter Landing.

This does NOT include the Waterfront Hotel parking lot--
--or-- the lot anchored by St.Lukes Center.

It does NOT include a few hundred additional spots OUTSIDE the semi-circle where the Health providers etc. have their offices ...(vacant at 5 P.M.)
-- NOR-- does it include the Sweetbay parking area.