SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. – People who live oceanfront in Satellite Beach are frustrated with people parking on their street to avoid paying new fees at parking lots.
Neighbors said not only are the cars blocking their driveways, but they could also be in the way of emergency vehicles.
A new ordinance was approved during a second reading at Wednesday night’s Satellite Beach city council meeting, allowing police to fine drivers $80 for beach parking on residential streets.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
“I’ve been here long enough to know that if we had an emergency, the vehicles would not be able to get through,” Bonnie Kerrigan said.
The Ocean Street resident said she’s been blocked by parked cars.
“People are not very considerate,” Kerrigan said. “They just park where they want.”
Along with facing a ticket for not using the parking lot, if your parking time expires in the paid lots, Satellite Beach will now boot your car.
“The beach is beautiful and I think everybody should be allowed to come see it for free,” Nikole Claybaugh said.
Claybaugh avoids paying for parking.
She said she parks across A1A and walks to the beach after her experience with neighbors here.
“These people aren’t very pleasant about letting you park on the streets,” Claybaugh said. “There was this one Karen that had came out once and she told me if I didn’t remove my car, she was going to call the law and the law would have my car repo’d.”
The city said it will also put up signs on the streets that read no beach parking and neighbors might be given placards for their cars so the city can tell they live here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: