City leaders crack down on parking in St. Augustine Beach

As tourist season begins, leaders in St. Augustine Beach said they're prepared to crack down on parking issues.

“It will be up and down, there’s not enough parking,” homeowner Valerie Town said.

When parking is at its worst, Town said there will be around 50 cars lining the street, parked on people’s front lawns.

“I’ve tried to put more bushes, somebody comes along at night to pull them out. It’s frustrating,” Town said.

Like Town, other homeowners have tried to prevent cars from parking on their property by putting rocks in their yard or even roping off their driveways.

“They’ll put no parking, but it’s a handmade sign and sometimes they’ll pay attention to it,” a neighbor said.

Its people who are headed to the beach or nearby restaurants and bars who are using the streets to park because other lots are full.

“I just tell them to stay off the grass and clean up their trash when they leave,” a neighbor said.

But besides property damage concerns, people are worried for their kid’s safety.

“I have a concern about the safety of the children and the safety of someone coming right up here,” Town said.

Mayor Undine George said she is aware of all of these concerns, that’s why she wants to increase the parking fine from $20 to $100.

“We are trying to create incentives to make it hurt so people won’t park illegally,” George said.

While some people are glad something might change, others think more needs to be done.

“People are going to come and go they aren’t concerned about a $100 fee today they may move on to the next beach,” Town said.

George said the parking fine will be discussed in May at the city commission meeting as well as a parking pilot program that would create parking permits.

Cox Media Group