As early as April 1, Municipal Parking Lots (MPLs) in South Walton will begin charging residents of Walton County and visitors for parking.
On February 26, the Board of County Commissioners approved the signature of a contract with PCI Municipal Services, LLC for parking management and enforcement services at the 393 Municipal Parking Lot, Grayton Beach Municipal Parking Lot, and the Van Ness Butler Parking Lot.
The Van Ness Butler Parking Lot currently does not offer tram service for those seeking rides to and from the beach. However, the other two MPLs do have Tram services that support public transportation (Beach Tram) to reduce traffic congestion on 30A and give beachgoers the ability to easily access a greater number of public beaches, where parking can be most difficult to find during peak season. The MPLs are operational between 5:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m, seven days a week.
RELATED: Walton adds ‘full’ parking lot near the beach. Here’s where you can find it.
more below:
Walton County residents seeking an annual parking pass will pay $5 dollars for a year. Costs for non-residents will be much higher, according to the commission’s agenda item paperwork. Non-residents will pay a five-dollar fee from November through February, but the fee increases to $15 the rest of the year. A non-resident may purchase an Annual Parking Permit for $205.00. A weekly permit for non-residents is $120.00.
In addition, all customers will have to pay a convenience fee that varies by purchase type.
Daily Parking Fees: .45¢ per payment
Parking permit fee: $3.50 per permit
Online parking citation payment: $3.50 per citation
In-person uncontested citations: $25 Walton County Clerk of Court fee
In-person contested citations: $75 Walton County Clerk of Court fee
County Administrator Brian Kellenberger said that because this is the first time Walton County has initiated a managed “pay to park” program, the anticipated income is unknown, and the estimate is based solely on forecasting. He explained that it is also hard to determine, based on the number of locals who may purchase permits or on the time it takes [especially in the first season] for the public to realize the benefits of the MPLs and the new Tram system that provides door-to-door service to the beach accesses. He estimated the annual income could be between $750,000 and $1 million.
The County wants to ensure that vehicles are not left in the parking lot overnight. It would be cheaper to park in Manhattan for a week than to pay the ticket for a car left overnight at one of the three MPLs. If a car is left in any of the three MPLs between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., the fine is $500.00 if paid within the first 30 days. If the fine for overnight parking is not paid in the first 30 days, the fine assessed is $750.00.
Kellenberger says the overnight fine sends a strong message that deals directly with the intended purpose of the MPL. “The Municipal Parking Lots are for those visitors seeking daily beach access and are clearly not for short-term rental parking,” he explained. Kellenbeger added that many short-term rentals have inadequate parking, and in many instances, visitors to the areas have more cars at a rental unit than there are spaces allotted for the property.
The plan for the MPLs is to provide a convenient, easy way for individuals and families to get to the beach. If short-term rental vacationers used the MPLs as overflow parking, the MPLs would remain full week after week, and the efforts made by Beach Operations and the Tourism Department over the last few years would be unsuccessful.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
Register or login with Mid Bay News and never get another pop up on our site!
