BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — WPTV is getting answers for Boynton Beach residents who are voicing concerns about new parking rules set to take effect in February that could result in fines for parking on their own property, prompting city officials to address questions and clarify enforcement plans.
WPTV posted about the changes on Facebook, generating over 300 responses from residents with questions and concerns about the new ordinance.
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Starting Feb. 1, residents will no longer be able to park cars on the street or in their grass. Vehicles must be parked in driveways or horizontally at the end of driveways without blocking sidewalks.
"You pretty much have to swerve around it and wait for other vehicles to pass. There's some houses that are loitered with vehicles and that sort of stuff, it's kind of an eyesore," said Boynton Beach resident Kevin Sanchez, who supports the parking changes.
However, not all residents are pleased with the new restrictions.
"We literally can't park our cars anywhere except for our yards and if you don't have a yard you're screwed," said resident Cristina Super. "We also don't live in an HOA and they're forcing their ordinance on us."
They’re two residents WPTV’s Joel Lopez interviewed earlier this week represent the divided opinions on the issue, with hundreds more weighing in online as the February implementation date approaches.
We took those questions to John Bonafair, the director of the public safety department. He said his office has received numerous calls about the issue, with opinions split 50-50.
"It's not a revenue making system, we're out there if there's a public safety issue," Bonafair said.
Neighbors in favor of the new rules we spoke with said they've had challenges with cars parked on both sides of the road, blocking the flow of traffic raising concerns about how first responders won be able to get through.
He explained that Boynton Beach is one of the last municipalities to enact a parking ordinance, making the change necessary. When asked about comparisons to HOA enforcement, Bonafair pushed back against that characterization.
"No it's not, absolutely not," Bonafair said. "We're out there targeting some major offenders that we've received complaints for years and years and years, people abusing the city and their neighbors, that's primarily who we're going for, we're not going after the average citizen."
The new rules also prohibit inoperable vehicles and long-term parking of oversized trucks, though work trucks are allowed as long as they follow the parking ordinance.
"The spirit of the law is to make sure there aren't derelict vehicles parked on properties and that the thoroughfares are open for public safety vehicles," Bonafair said.
For residents whose cars don't fit on their driveways, Bonafair said the city plans to work with them on solutions.
"Yes, well, I mean we can take a look at when those cars are going to be parked there," Bonafair said. "We're not going to be out there hunting how many people have how many cars in their driveway, it's primarily for public safety."
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He said the city may help residents expand their driveways or offer exemptions.
"This is in infancy of the ordinance, we're going to look at it and develop it as it goes, everything is open to change everything is open to public opinion and response," Bonafair said.
Some residents expressed support for the changes on social media. Wheatly Zack commented: "Stop blocking the sidewalks, I can't get my wheelchair around your cars without going into the swell and street. Don’t put lives in danger because you couldn’t plan accordingly.”
Bonafair emphasized the public safety aspect of the ordinance.
"I can tell you from my previous police experience with the city for 27 years, when roadways are blocked and people need our help it's extremely frustrating for both parties and we need to keep those streets cleared, people have a right to have access to public safety," Bonafair said.
The city will not begin issuing citations on Feb. 1. Officials said there will be a long period of education and warnings before any fines are imposed.
Boynton Beach
'We can't park anywhere': Homeowners face new restrictions on their property
Regarding the 12-hour exemption rule, Bonafair said residents don't need to notify the city about extra cars as long as they follow the parking ordinance.
"Our code officers are out there every day and they see and they understand and they know vehicles have been there parked there an extended period of time," Bonafair said.
One Facebook commenter, Rae Whitely, raised concerns about economic pressures: "Inflation is pushing multiple families into single homes. The question no one is answering is simple. Where are they supposed to park now?"
Bonafair acknowledged these challenges in his response.
"We understand the economic conditions that are going on. The city is here to help and we're going to work with people to make sure that everybody understands and we have a functional roadway system and public safety is our primary goal," Bonafair said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
