ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – Commissioners in St. Augustine Beach moved to delay implementing a system of paid parking at city-owned parking lots.
According to a release, commissioners will explore a simultaneous implementation with St. Johns County as it rolls out its own paid parking program in summer of 2019.
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Ahead of the meeting, several residents told News4Jax that they planned to attend to voice their concerns about the pay-to-park system. They handed out flyers to others in the community, asking people to attend Tuesday’s meeting if they are against it.
“We don’t like it. We don’t like it because I think it’ll change the whole vibe of this city,” Dennis Dean said.
Dean lives near one of the lots that will no longer be free. He is concerned about the impact it will have on residents and businesses.
“We have people who come here because it’s easy-going. It’s a quaint city and all that kind of thing and it’s just going to change that,” Dean added.
Under the plan, roughly 300 paid parking spaces in different parts of the city would be added. Paid parking could bring in about $400,000-$500,000 a year to help pay for parking improvements, according to city leaders.
It’s a key that Mayor Undine George believes could unlock future parking problems.
“We’re going to be able to increase parking because we’re going to have additional revenue to invest into building more parking areas and that’s one of the biggest keys,” George said.
The pay-by-phone parking system will use a mobile app that was expected to launch in April. People would only have to pay for parking during certain daytime hours.
Visitors will pay $2.50 per hour. Residents will be charged $1.25 for an hour. Beach residents will get a bigger discount, paying 50 cents. To register for the discount, residents will need to apply at City Hall.
More than 80 parking spaces will remain free.