PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — It could soon cost more to visit St. Pete Beach. The city is considering raising parking rates.
People who live on and visit St. Pete Beach said it’s gotten more and more expensive to enjoy the sand.
WATCH: St. Pete Beach City leaders consider increasing parking rates
St. Pete Beach considers parking rate hike impacting visitors and locals
Cam Burgess and Kayden Cegrabes are spending their spring break at St. Pete Beach, a vacation that has become more expensive than they expected.
“It really depends on how long you are here, like if you’re here for five hours… but if you’re here for over five, like eight or ten hours, I feel like it starts to get bad,” said Burgess.
Spring breakers said that when they walk up to the parking kiosk and press the on button, they are shocked by the price.
Currently, it costs around $4 an hour to park at St. Pete Beach, but that price could go up even more soon.
The City is considering increasing parking rates to $5 on weekdays, $6 an hour on weekends, and an additional $1 during sunset hours from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
It’s something that could impact tourism
“A lot of people are frustrated with it; they come over from St. Pete or Ruskin, and it costs $40 a day to come to the beach and park,” said Rich Malinowski, who lived on St. Pete Beach for years.
If the city approves all the changes, it could make the city $1.7 million a year.
The money would be used to maintain the beaches and help improve stormwater infrastructure.
WFTS
St. Pete Beach City leaders consider increasing parking rates
“They are definitely needed for sure, to protect the residents, for one, and the flooding in the local streets,” said Malinowski.
But at almost $7 an hour to go to the beach, Bonnie Lynch, who has lived on St. Pete Beach for 15 years, said it’s not only going to impact tourism.
“They’ve made it impossible for the people who are locals to live here, I mean the prices for rent and food and everything is out of control,” said Lynch.
Cegrabes said the price change might sway her to choose a new location for Spring Break next year.
“Even though it’s helping them and impacting them. It’s not helping our pockets, you know, our money spending. You know, we’re already spending money on everything else here,” said Kayden Cegrabes.
The city commission is expected to discuss the parking rates on March 24.
WFTS
St. Pete Beach City leaders consider increasing parking rates
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