FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Monday marked the first day people visiting downtown Fernandina Beach have to pay for parking.
It runs from Alachua Street to Ash Street and 8th Street to Front Street.
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People will have to pay to park Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. This includes holidays.
Each household in the city is eligible for two free parking permits.
People who live inside the paid parking limits can register two vehicles per household to park for free 24/7.
For non-city residents, an annual vehicle permit can be purchased for $124.
RELATED: Fernandina Beach paid parking officially begins
If you don’t have a parking permit, it’ll be $2 per hour plus fees to park.
“I’m not too happy about it,” Jennifer Palmieri, who visits at least twice a year, said.
Palmieri is worried about how this will impact businesses in the area.
“I think a lot of visitors and locals are not going to want to come downtown and patronize the area,” Palmieri said.
RELATED: Fernandina Beach residents can register for 2 free parking permits per household
Amie Mansfield is also visiting from out of town. Action News Jax’s Madison Foglio told her that paid parking downtown starts Monday. Mansfield said she may not come back because of it.
“It just adds another expense layer of stress,” Mansfield said.
Another concern we heard from multiple people is how this would work for elderly people trying to park.
“They don’t understand the QR code,” Karen Bahlmann who lives in Fernandina Beach, said.
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Although Bahlmann has some concerns, she said paid parking was bound to happen eventually. And she doubts the city’s parking policy will severely hurt the local economy.
“I think people are still going to come in. I don’t necessarily believe that its going to impact business that terribly,” Bahlmann said.
Fernandina Beach voters will have the chance to decide for themselves the merits of the city’s paid parking program during the primary election this August.
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Action News Jax reached out to the City of Fernandina Beach about paid parking being enforced on holidays. You can read their statement below:
“Today is the beginning of the soft roll out of the paid parking program. This will mostly include education and assistance to citizens and visitors instead of citations.
“The ordinance does allow for parking enforcement during holidays. Parking enforcement hours may be adjusted by the City Manager for holidays and events under certain circumstances.”
To read more about the City’s paid parking program, click here:
Parking | Fernandina Beach, FL - Official Website
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