St. Augustine to crack down on illegal parking

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — It's one of the most popular vacation destinations in Florida, but drivers said St. Augustine isn't the most popular place to park.

"It's almost impossible to find parking here," said Alice Crews.

"It seems like it's just a shortage of parking," said Leon Hill.

Drivers said just finding a spot most days is tough, which forces some people to overstay their time at a meter or park illegally.

"Sometimes people can't get back to their car," said Crews.

The city's parking and traffic commission is considering raising fees for drivers who park illegally.

"Find other alternatives to help people to find a parking space," said Hill.

St. Augustine Public Works Director, Martha Graham said the fees haven't been raised since 2006.

Action News found out the city issues about 900 tickets a month, averaging about $13,000 per month.

Last year the city collected more than $150,000, which went  into the city's general revenue.

"To manage the parking we need to have the turnover to have the spaces be more available for people who want to come and stay for short term," said Graham.

Graham said people should use the parking garage if they would like to park longer--then they won't get fined.

Some drivers told Action News they are happy to help the city.

"It puts money back into the pockets, and tax rolls and that'll help the city rebuild roads, make the place look beautiful," said Wilton Larangeria.

The increase could be between $5 and $10 per fine. The fees vary depending on the violations, but some drivers say the city should just leave it the way it is.

The city said the meeting on this issue will be sometime in July and the public is welcome to attend.

WJAX