PARKING RAGE
Big Pine has a parking problem?
The meeting of the Big Pine Civic Club on Monday, October 10 started with neighbors enjoying slices of homemade German chocolate cake and banana cream pie. Members of the club kept passing the buck when they were asked to volunteer as secretary for the club, making laughable excuses about why they couldn’t do it, and there were tongue-in-cheek jokes about the upcoming cemetery tours.
But when the topic of parking near and around the Country Kitchen came up, the laughter stopped, the cordial and calm atmosphere faded and it all hit the fan.
There was a shouting match, threats were made (even to this reporter) and nothing was accomplished. Accusations were flying along with name calling and lots of finger pointing. Some of the sweet old ladies with fresh hairdos that brought the desserts scowled at others they didn’t agree with and shushed people to be quiet, treating it like the elementary classroom the meeting had turned into.
All this over parking.
There’s a long history of parking problems at the site according to Club Board President, Sandy Lund.
The restaurant has been renovated and reinvigorated by new owners Nick and Jackie Nersesian and son Andre and business is booming. There’s a large, empty parking lot to the south of the Kitchen, adjacent to Dewey Street where Valerie Hart lives, and a perfect space for a big rig.