‘It’s not going to be free anymore’: N. Myrtle Beach makes changes to paid parking program
After what North Myrtle Beach officials consider a successful year for their inaugural paid parking program, more changes are expected as the popular tourist destination gears up for the upcoming season.
City officials held a special workshop meeting Wednesday afternoon to analyze data gathered last summer by consulting firm Kimley-Horn, which was hired to assess parking opportunities and challenges within the city. Officials also discussed further changes that could be made to the program to combat existing parking issues.
“We’re in this right now, in 2020, the (parking) problem is only increasing every single year,” Councilwoman Nikki Fontana said. “We’ve got to try to get a handle on it some way, somehow.”
Expanding paid parking to public right-of-way side streets and altering the permit system to include both part-time city residents and Horry County residents, at a cost, were among the ideas Kimley-Horn consultants recommended.
City officials last year implemented a series of programs in an attempt to make parking more effective and safer along Ocean Boulevard during the busy tourism season.
Plans included spending nearly $500,000 to modify 12 beach access lots between 6th Avenue North and 18th Avenue North to create 200 additional spaces and a paid-parking program that carried a $2 per hour fee in all public parking lots on both sides of Ocean Boulevard. A mobile pay app and kiosks were also introduced.
Additionally, the city enforced a residential permit system that allowed full-time city residents to park for free in all paid-parking lots but limited the number of vehicles and golf carts used at a time to one per household. Two free decals per household were issued, but those living outside city limits or vacation homeowners were restricted from accessing them.
Including parking lot extensions, signage, kiosks and other materials, the city spent about $750,000 to initiate the program, which generated about $500,000 in the almost five-months span, officials said.
However, while the city saw over 60,325 vehicles pay to park last summer, representatives from Kimley-Horn said there was an imbalance for demand for beach-front lots as motorists without decals parked along public right-of-ways on side streets where parking was ultimately free.
“We did see on average 100 cars or more on weekends parking on side streets,” said Brett Wood of Kimley-Horn.
Wood recommended placing a $2 charge on all side streets that could be paid via mobile app, similar to the public lots. Officials believe it would encourage those to seek parking in beach access lots before looking for an alternative.
“The reason they were parking on those side areas is because it’s free,” Mayor Marilyn Hatley said. “It’s not going to be free anymore.”
Paid parking wouldn’t go beyond Hillside Drive, officials said, with signs placed to deter motorists from seeking parking further west.
City Manager Mike Mahaney added that any potential revenue stemming from Myrtle Beach winning its lawsuit against Horry County over the collection of hospitality fees could provide the funds to purchase land to build additional parking lots as residential housing and tourism increases.
“That will help solve the problem,” Mahaney said. “I got to think long-term as far as what we’re doing.”
To further encourage visitors to park in the recently enhanced lots, changes will be made to the permit system allowing for full-time and part-time city residents along with county residents to obtain parking decals. However, it will come with a cost.
Proposed changes include allowing part-time city residents to apply for one free parking permit per household with the opportunity to purchase an additional permit for $200. While it is not required for the individual’s vehicle or golf cart to be registered to their city address, proof of residential property ownership will be required.
Full-time residents, who already get two free permits per household, could also purchase one additional permit for $200.
Additionally, the city will allot a maximum of 200 annual parking permits for Horry County residents to purchase for $200. However, the permits will be on a first-come first-serve basis.
“We’re trying to keep it simple,” said Mahaney, adding that over 10,000 permits were issued last year to residents.
Before changes are put into effect, City Spokesperson Pat Dowling said existing parking ordinances will require amending and therefore call for second reading approval by council. Paid parking will resume on March 1.
