LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — A new study highlighting challenges with parking and the potential solutions to address them is stirring up a conversation in Lake Worth Beach about the future of free parking downtown.
Among the recommendations? Eliminating free parking.
According to an updated parking study, the City of Lake Worth Beach could generate an extra $1.7 million if residents would have to pay for parking downtown.
“We know this is going to sort of a jarring piece of news for our residents because they’re not used to having to pay,” said Mayor Betty Resch in a recent city commission meeting.
Though divided on the idea at times throughout the meeting, some Lake Worth Beach city leaders believe paid parking downtown is the next step for the city.
“This is where a lot of municipalities have gone, there are infrastructure things we need to think of downtown,” said City Manager Jamie Brown.
The city hired the Wantman Group, a consulting agency, back in 2018 to conduct a parking study. The 2024 update shows parking occupancy rates remain high and the city’s current parking supply may not keep up with future demand.
The solution— paid parking a and parking garage that would create a return on investment for the city. But what does this mean for those who frequent downtown?
“I think charging for parking is going to change the dynamic of this downtown area, which I think is special,” said Henry Ristuccio a Lake Worth Beach Resident.
For others like Erick Solms, who owns a business in the area, the change brings about a different concern.
“I understand both sides of the story, I understand the city, they have to adapt, and every other city does it but have 10-12 employees that come here every day, so how are they going to park," Solms said. "They should come up with some sort of solution, that we get permits, a monthly fee or allowance for being part of the city."
It’s one of the many things being considered by the commission when it comes to creating a parking program.
“That’s such a historic problem of any downtown, is where are we going to put our employees?" Commissioner Reinaldo Diaz said. "We can’t rightfully charge them market price for parking rate for parking it’s not right."
The new study suggests parking fees would reduce the overuse of parking while incentivizing alternative transportation. Francisco Acevedo works in the area and believes it may drive away customers.
“All these businesses opened, and they closed down, once again every penny counts for them,” said Acevedo. “Do they need the money that bad that we need to start paying for parking, that’s what we pay our taxes for.”
No decision has been made yet; the commission plans to draft a plan on how this would work before finalizing.
