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The recent launch of new eateries and businesses in the city’s Central Business District redevelopment zone has launched parking complaints usually heard during the height of the summer season.

In the past few months, Old Man Rafferty’s was transformed into Prohibition, Taka re-launched at its new Cookman Avenue location, Cross and Orange opened in the historic Park Overlook building, also on Cookman, and the Asbury Festhalle and Beirgarten opened on Lake Avenue.

But the business district’s resurgence has left patrons vying for the limited parking spots along Cookman and Lake Avenues as well as the surrounding areas.

And now, one long-established city businesses is passing on their customers’ complaints.

Moonstruck Restaurant co-owner Howard Raczkiewicz came before the City Council Wednesday night to also offer a temporary solution — providing a parking area at the iStar Financial owned undeveloped land along Cookman and Lake Avenues.

“Put up a gate and a pay station,” Raczkiewicz said. “I’m talking about tomorrow. This is a very, very, dire situation.”

“I’ve been in the hospitality business for 35 years,” he said. “For me it’s always been about making sure people leave my restaurant with a good taste in their mouths.”

But more often than not, Moonstruck co-owner Luke Magliero said, patrons are dropping off their guests at the Lake Avenue eatery and taking another 20 to 30 minutes to find a parking spot.

“We are now at a junction where our visitors are extremely frustrated prior to walking in and its only February,” Raczkiewicz said.

Among the owners concern is a recently completed parking study that has yet to be made public.

“I believe the parking study that has been done will be flawed,” Raczkiewicz said. “It does not include the beer, additional restaurants and movie houses that have yet or have recently opened.

He said what used to a shopping district has transformed into a venue for night life and at the end of an evening, guests [especially seniors] are not likely to want to walk four to five blocks to get back to their vehicles.

But Theresa Jones, a former city business owner said she believes there are more parking options available today than in years past.

“People parked to get to the beachfront on Railroad Avenue which is now Memorial Drive and you walked,” Jones said. “You have more parking now than what was accessible when Asbury Park was up and running with full boardwalk activities.”

Jones said part of the problem stems from when housing density diminished during the 1980-90s when eminent domain activity flourished. She said when zoning and planning laws changed there was no real “city-scaping” plan in place.

“It was a free for all and issues were disregarded as far as planning,” Jones said. “The city is going back to what parking looked like in the 1960s and 70s; where everybody is going to have to walk three or four blocks.”

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