PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Free parking at Palm Beach County beaches may soon be a thing of the past.
County leaders are considering a plan that would charge beachgoers for parking at every county-operated beach parking lots as officials work to close budget gaps and generate new revenue.
WATCH BELOW: 'Even $2 an hour is too much for me,' Lynn Aprile tells WPTV's Joel Lopez
Right now, only two county beach parks charge for parking: R.G. Kreusler Park near the Lake Worth Beach Casino and South Inlet Park in Boca Raton.
Under the proposal, parking fees would expand to 12 additional beach parks across the county.
Those parks include:
- Coral Cove Park (north)
- Dubois Park
- Jupiter Beach Park
- Carlin Park
- Ocean Cay Park
- Juno Beach Park
- Loggerhead Park
- Ocean Reef Park
- Phil Foster Park
- Ocean Inlet Park
- Ocean Ridge Hammock Park
- Gulfstream Park
The proposed rate would start at at least $4 an hour.
At Juno Beach Park, families enjoying what has long been a free outing are now facing the possibility of paying every visit.
“We come here a couple of times a week,” said Taylor Nelson.
For Nelson and many other parents, the beach is one of the few low-cost ways to spend time together outdoors.
“(It's) just a fun free activity for a couple of hours to get out of the house,” Nelson said.
That affordability is exactly what worries some residents most.
“As a parent it's tough because there's not a lot of options as far as where we can go for a few hours and not having to worry about having to pay every single time,” Nelson said.
Others say even a small fee could add up quickly.
“Even $2 an hour is too much for me, I want to spend that $2 somewhere else,” said Lynn Aprile, who visits Ocean Reef Park every day.
“I would miss it if it wasn't free,” Aprile added as she visited Ocean Reef Park, one of the beaches on the list for new parking charges.
County officials say the proposed fees are tied directly to budget pressures.
Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Cirillo said the department is facing a major reduction in property tax funding while the county tries to keep the millage rate steady.
“By keeping the millage rate steady, and in order to balance the budget for other increases, our Parks and Recreation Department FY27 annual operating budget was reduced by $4 million in ad valorem (property tax) funding and will generate additional revenues through proposed park use fees,” Cirillo told WPTV.
The new parking fees are expected to generate an estimated $7.5 million in revenue.
Still, some county commissioners have voiced concerns about how the fees could affect residents who depend on public beaches as an affordable escape.
“There’s plenty of people in this community that a day at the beach is the best they're ever going to have and I'm concerned if we do this, they will no longer have access,” Commissioner Gregg Weiss said during a June meeting.
Mayor Sara Baxter also acknowledged mixed feelings about the proposal.
“I personally am not a huge fan. I like to go to the beach and not pay, but we're in a situation now where we have to potentially make up revenues,” Baxter said.
The county is proposing a 20% discount for Palm Beach County residents and is also considering annual parking passes.
For some beachgoers, the initial cost may not be enough to stay away — but they worry about where prices could go in the future.
“Four dollars, it probably isn't going to stop us but if continues to go up as I assume it will, at some point it probably will,” Nelson said.
The proposal is still part of the county’s FY2027 budget process. County commissioners are expected to vote on the final budget Sept. 15.
Cirillo said implementation would not happen immediately after approval.
“It is part of the FY2027 budget process. The final budget will be voted on at the September 15th public meeting. Depending on the structure of what is approved, we would need time to register residents for discounted rates and/or annual passes as well as post signage educating park patrons. Therefore, the implementation date would be decided once we know what the final program would be and to give the public notice of the start date,” Cirillo said.
