Rehoboth Beach parking: 5 changes for this summer and beyond
Sarah GamardRehoboth Beach visitors will notice some changes this year — especially if they have a car.
The seaside city has been hashing out changes to its parking policies ahead of the summertime. Parking will cost more for visitors and residents. Beachgoers could also see increased enforcement.
Here are four ways that parking in Rehoboth Beach could change this summer, along with some things that won't change.
Parking will cost more
Commissioners voted Friday to increase the city's parking permit season for two extra weeks. The new season stretches on after Labor Day.
Rehoboth Beach Mayor Paul Kuhns said it's meant to "be consistent" with Rehoboth's meter season.
Weekly parking passes cost more, too. The price is hiked from $80 to $90.
The ordinance also increases hourly meter rates from $2 to $3 on parts of Baltimore, Rehoboth and Wilmington avenues close to the beach.
But night owls will no longer have to pay for parking from 10 p.m. to midnight throughout Rehoboth. The free parking hopes to encourage more visits to businesses that are open late at night.
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Permit changes, too
Rehoboth property owners will see new changes to the city's permit policy.
Landlords and certain businesses can no longer get discounted transferable parking passes at $30. They now have to pay $250.
"They have to pay the regular fee like everybody else," said a city spokesperson.
Hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts used to be able to purchase the discounted passes for their guests, officials say.
"You can get as many as you want, but it's basically going to put everybody in the same price category," Kuhns said.
Property owners and renters can still get their two transferable seasonal parking permits. Now, they can also get two seasonal non-transferable permits for motor scooters. Kuhns said it's an incentive for more compact travel.
"Five mopeds take up about the same space as a regular parking permit," Kuhns said.
License plate-reading kiosks will replace meters
Visitors won't see the same parking meters this summer, either.
Several hundred will be replaced by new kiosks that will be able to read license plates to enforce parking regulations.
Despite the "more futuristic" technology, the new kiosks will still accept credit cards, quarters and the mobile parking app that visitors are used to using.
Officials hope the new kiosks will be up and running before Memorial Day.
City wants more summer enforcement
You may see more bicyclists checking for permits on parked cars, as well as more enforcement officers hovering around Rehoboth's 2,000-plus parking meters.
The city has yet to decide whether to pay for it. Officials have until March 15 to decide whether to add them to an already tight budget.
Some commissioners are against the $10,000 price tag of the increased feet on the ground.
More:Rehoboth budget woes could spark fee hikes, higher taxes
A new parking garage is possible, but not this summer
It's because officials have yet to flesh it out.
"By no means is it on the drawing board as of yet," Kuhns said.
Commissioners planned on discussing the structure in early January, but postponed those talks to their Feb. 4 meeting.
Officials say they don't plan on budgeting it for next fiscal year regardless of the outcome of discussions in the coming months. Any garage would likely be downtown.
"Over the last 20 years or so, certain people have been asking the city to consider a parking garage," the mayor said, adding that commissioners have struck down previous proposals for such a structure. "There's been more and more residents, as well as business owners (saying) it might be something to consider."
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