(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — San Jose has fined a local business owner for opening her shop during events at the HP Pavilion and running an illegal parking lot.
Suzanne Comaroto, owner of Move It Elsewhere, sells $10 discount coupons and opens her consignment shop during events at the arena, which she considers to just be a smart business promotion.
City code enforcer Paul Garcia disagrees.
“Any parking lot that allows parking other than business parking needs to have a special use permit for that district,” Garcia told the San Jose Mercury News.
Parking has always been a major issue at the arena, which holds 17,483, but only has 1,600 parking spaces. The city boasts an additional 6,300 spaces at lots within a mile of the Pavilion, according to the paper, but even then, parking is tight on game nights.
Some concerts seat up to 20,000, and further increase parking problems.
At Comaroto’s lot, she sells $10 coupons entitling shoppers to a 50 percent discount during certain times at her shop. With 60 spaces, she sells $600 in coupons per night.
Comaroto told the paper that she uses that money to pay rent and advertise her business, which sells estate items on consignment for seniors.
Before allowing anyone to pull into her lot, Comaroto asks if they’re there to shop or to park for the arena. If they say they’re only interested in parking, she turns them away. She plans to continue having the store open on event nights, but will insist that anyone parking in her lot also visit the store. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
