The days of free parking in Anna Maria could soon be over. City leaders are considering charging for drivers starting next year.

The plan estimates that over 1,100 parking spots in the popular tourist and day-trip city, at the northern tip of Anna maria Island, would cost drivers about $4.50 per hour. Consultants say the paid parking system would generate $25,000 a day, about $11 million per year.

City leaders say the system would alleviate parking problems by putting limits on how long, and where, people can park in Anna Maria. They also say it could benefit businesses by increasing turnover in parking spots.

“The overall goal of this is to have parking available for those who are here, a reasonable amount of parking to accommodate those who visit here, taking into account the commercial businesses, but also watching out for the residents and the property owners that are here every day,” Mayor Mark Short said at an Aug. 11 workshop.

The city discuss the parking plan at a public workshop on Monday.

Parking study recommends paid parking on Anna Maria

The parking study, conducted by the engineering firm WSP, found the city has 4,573 parking spaces, with the plan to make 1,119 paid spots. Tentatively, 825 would be on-street parking, with another 294 in public lots.

There’s also an opportunity to create shared parking with local churches to create an additional 130 spaces.

The study proposes a three- or four-hour limit for parking in commercial districts.

The parking plan would also allow residents to register a license plate and get a permit for a one-time fee. Special cases like construction vehicles, residential events and parades could also have a pass-based program.

Consultants with WSP said the $4.50 per hour fee was based on averages from comparable cities including Key West, St. Augustine, Clearwater and St. Pete Beach.

The pay-to-park system would be operated through a system called Passport, with which the city already has a contract. The system would also allow the city to change rates on weekends or during the busy season.

Anna Maria Mayor says city needs to address parking

At the Aug. 11 workshop, Short emphasized the city’s parking issues, saying something needs to be done.

“We historically, other than maybe taking no parking off one side of a street … haven’t done a lot to address the changes that have occurred on this island in the last five years, particularly south of us, that we need to address,” the mayor said.

Short added that Manatee County is considering pay-to-park systems at the Manatee Public Beach and the Coquina Beach parking lot, putting pressure on Anna Maria to make a move.

“Part of this has to at least take into account a pay-to-park scenario to potentially react to what the county does, but also, it’s our city. We can do whatever we want,” Short said.

The parking plan presented on Aug. 11 is not final. The City Commission, along with input from the community, will lead further discussions on the parking zones and hourly rates.

“There’s going to be a lot of tweaking,” Short said.

A draft schedule in WSP’s presentation shows a final plan being completed by the end of September, with commission adoption aimed around November. If approved, the city could start a public outreach campaign at the start of next year with the program launching in March 2027.

City officials plan to hold a public workshop at 4 p.m. Monday to give community members an opportunity to share input about the study. The workshop will be held at The Center of Anna Maria, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria.