Myrtle Beach considers increasing parking meter rates, citation fees

Drivers heading to enjoy the beach could pay 50 cents more per hour at parking meters in Myrtle Beach – and face increases in fines if the meters aren’t paid -- if the city approves a new rate structure.

Some “unique” areas could even see the hourly parking rate double from 75 cents to $1.50 an hour, though there are very few meters in those places, said Downtown Redevelopment Corp. Executive Director David Sebok.

Myrtle Beach City Council on Tuesday discussed creating a three-tiered system for parking meter rates, with the spots at beach accesses costing the most and getting less expensive the farther spots are from the ocean. City staff project the increases would generate about $400,000 more revenue overall.

Rates most recently increased in 2012, when they went up by 25 cents when meters went in service that March.

City Council plans to continue to discuss rate changes during its annual budget retreat in Pinopolis next month. Any increase to the rates would not happen this season.

Residents who pay city taxes on their cars that are registered in Myrtle Beach are eligible for a parking decal, which allows them to park for free at the city’s parking meters and at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Finance Director Maria Baisden said as of Wednesday, 9,380 decals had been issued this year for use through next season.

About $330,000 is projected to be made from increasing the meter rates, with that money going to the DRC.

“All of this is about revitalizing the south mixed-use area,” City Manager John Pedersen said during a City Council workshop on Tuesday. “At the end of the day – sometimes we get lost in the minutia – but that’s the overall goal.”

The south mixed-use area is defined as the area from First Avenue North to Seventh Avenue North and from the Atlantic Ocean to Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. The DRC and City Council have put plans in motion to make that area a priority for redevelopment.

Myrtle Beach Chief Financial Officer Michael Shelton said the increased revenue from parking meters would be used to pay interest in a proposed $10 million “land bank.” Pedersen proposed securing the line of credit with a bank to be used to demolish and purchase blighted property in the DRC district, with the hope of selling that property to private companies to be developed.

Rates at beach accesses – tier one – would increase from $1.50 an hour, or $8 a day, to $2 an hour and $10 a day, according to the proposal. Rates in tier two at on-street, high-volume areas would increase from $1.50 to $1.75 an hour with a three-hour maximum parking time.

Tier three parking would include all other parking meters, which currently range in price from 75 cents to $1.25 an hour or $6 a day. Those meters all would cost $1.50 an hour or $8 a day, Sebok said.

Last year, the city approved extending the amount of time that parking meters are up by one month, having meters in effect from March 1 to Oct. 31 each year. That additional month generated about $66,000 in gross revenue.

In the 2013-2014 fiscal year, about $1.2 million was collected from parking.

DRC expects to collect almost $1.2 million in gross parking revenue when this fiscal year ends June 30.

If the city approves higher citation fees for the meters, they are expected to generate about $60,000 to $75,000 for the city. Shelton proposed increasing the fee for violating parking meters from $20 to $30. After 30 days, that fee would increase to $60, according to the proposal.

Under the current rate structure, if that fee is not paid within 30 days, drivers have to pay $30. If it’s not paid after 45 days, the fee jumps to $45.

Councilman Mike Lowder said he was concerned that increasing parking meter rates would impact residents who work at the beach.

“If we were to go forward with this plan here, realistically speaking, people who work in that area – it’s going to cost them more to go to work than it does today,” Lowder said. “It’s not just the tourist person who is going to pay more to park in these parking spaces. It’s going to be people in this area that will have to pay more.

“There are people who make $8, $8.50 an hour,” he said. “This increase may not mean much to a lot of people, but it will to them.”

Oceanfront Merchants Association President Chris Walker, who owns several businesses and parking lots on Ocean Boulevard, said some employers make arrangements for their staff to avoid having to pay to park.

Other employees could use the Pavilion Parking Garage, where officials last month set a monthly parking rate of $30. Sebok said DRC negotiated with garage owner Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc. to let Lanier Parking Solutions set the rate.

This story was originally published March 25, 2015 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach considers increasing parking meter rates, citation fees."