When the previous Fort Myers Beach Town Council raised parking fees from $3.00 an hour to $5.00, both now Mayor Dan Allers and now Vice-Mayor Jim Atterholt were not happy about it. Neither were candidates Karen Woodson and John King. They are all now in a position to do something about it.
At the town’s Management & Planning meeting Thursday, Allers brought the price increase back up for discussion. He wants to see the price to park rolled back from $5 to $3 per hour. The town has already eliminated the two hour time limit, which was in place in areas like Old San Carlos and across from Lynn Hall Park by Times Square.
Allers also wants to see the cost of a ticket increased. Right now, if you park in a town spot and just don’t pay the meter, the most you’ll have to pay for a full day of parking is $35.00, the cost of a ticket. On Fort Myers Beach, especially during season, that’s a bargain. The new ticket price being tossed around was $150.00.
Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt suggested the town figure a way to configure its parking app to give people a 5-10 minute warning when their meter expires, “to give them time to get back to their cars.” Atterholt said he wants to give residents and visitors a “sense of hospitality, rather than this gatcha concept, this mentality that we’re out to get you.”
The app also allows you to add more money, without having to go back to your spot. You can do it right from the app, from wherever you are. And the app gives you a warning that you’re time is about to expire.
After a suggestion was made to reduce the fees to $3.00 for residents only and not visitors, another suggestion, which seemed to garner more support was to allow residents who have a $25 annual parking pass to park anywhere. Currently they are only permitted to park under the Matanzas Pass Bridge and in other locations which might require a longer walk.
Reducing the parking fee will be put on an upcoming agenda of the town council.
The council will also consider eliminating the $100 per bedroom fee on vacation rentals, also implemented by the last town council. Vice Mayor Atterholt said that increase was pushed through without any input from the community.
Will the lower $3 parking fee be for residents only & is it still only 2 hour limit? A 10 minute expiration warning & the ability to add additional payment for extra time (on an app) would be great…
I think raising the parking ticket from $35 to $150 is a little steep, maybe half that!
Thanks & have a beautiful day!
A toll on the bridge to the beach would be disastrous and certainly wouldn’t be welcoming to our tourists. An increase from $35 to $150 sounds steep. Why not compromise at something in between. All for a roll back to $3/hr parking toll. Finally, a Mayor and Council with compassion and commen sense!
Just wondering when they’ll put back the designated handicap spots. There were plenty under the bridge before they revamped. They took alot away. Now after Ian …there is none.
Unless something has changed, if you have a valid handicap sticker, you can park in any one of the metered parking spots at no charge. From my understanding the only place you could not do that in was Lynnhall park
What is the parking app to download for android?
Passport
How do you get the $25 permit???
Yes, pls lower parking fees! Question: I have a parking permit that allows me to park at Bowditch and other smaller beach parking areas. It is a two year permit. Why can I not use that at any parking area on FMB? I paid $60 for that permit. Would like to get an answer on this question. I am a resident of 33904. I love FMB and would spend more time there with lower parking fees.
You have a county pass. That allows you to park at Bowditch and Lyn Hall since those are county parking areas.
Because those are Lee County parks, not Town property
That’s a permit for certain Lee County parks. That’s why you can park at Bowditch, but it does not include Lynn Hall park for some reason. The fee is for Lee County and Fort Myers Beach does not get any of that fee money, hence you can not use it for parking at a Fort Myers Beach meter or parking lot.
EXCELLENT! We are going to see so many good things come from this Council who are “for the people”. Way to go!
It is AMAZING!!!
Sanibel has become a paradise for the elite. They don’t want us out there. Is that what you want to do to Ft.Myers beach, take more and more from the tourists who help the economy? Enough is enough.
We go to Sanibel at least twice a week. We are always treated well and visit several places.
Great news! Also, as someone who purchased a home in proximity (33919) to the beach BECAUSE of FMB, I’d love an option to purchase a parking pass. Could that be considered? Parking passes currently are only for beach residents, right?
Yes, having a yearly or seasonal parking pass would be great!
I think these are all excellent ideas! On a similar topic, I have always wondered why we don’t have tolls to get on the beach like Sanibel does? Of course people will be initially upset, but if you build it, they will still come! 🤑
Traffic was bad enough w/o a toll booth.
However, if we have to put all our $ in tolls and parking we will be bringing our own drinks and food. Has to be a balance. Most of the people parking are contributing a lot of sales tax $ and tips 🤑
Sanibel Bridge is a county road that collects and keeps the tolls. I don’t know the “why” but do know that when it comes up for FMB virtually no one wants it, and it would also be a County decision and money maker.