DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Employees in downtown Delray Beach will have to keep paying to park for work.
City leaders unanimously voted to extend the downtown employee parking pilot program permanently, while also asking staff to come back in six months with an update to decide whether to maintain or end it.
The program requires business owners and workers to renew monthly permits for $10. Some business workers support paying the fee because, without it, employees could face high regular parking fees. However, they say the plan comes with confusion.
Siobhan Boroian, who manages three downtown boutiques, including Periwinkle, Morley, and Coco & Co., shared her thoughts on the program.
"On the one hand, I'm really grateful we have an employee program," Boroian said. "But in my opinion, it's kind of like catch 22 because I wish that lot wasn’t metered at all.”
WPTV has previously reported on the challenges businesses on Atlantic Avenue face — having to explain the parking apps to customers, and being wrongfully cited, disputing big fees.
"We get feedback constantly from both regulars and for people who are visiting the store for the first time that they find it bothersome that they have to pay for parking at all," Boroian said. It breeds a lot of frustration and it really does people’s decisions to come downtown.”
During the meeting, Public Works Director Missie Barletto provided a presentation and said 65% of people would like to see the program continue. However, Barletto explained that since the program launched, the number of permits issued has decreased.
According to the city, 5,069 employee permits were issued in October. That number dropped to 3,206 in November, 2,708 in December, 2,100 in January, 1,406 in February, and 600 in March.
Mayor Tom Carney said neighboring cities face higher fees."But overall, when you compare the prices that Delray is charging to anywhere else," Carney said. "It’s a very generous parking allowance.”
Commissioner Juli Casale added that it is a program not everyone's wallet can afford.
"Jobs downtown are service jobs. These people are not making a lot of money and $10 a month can be substantial," Casale said.
City leaders discussed requested income data, surface lots, and possibly lowering fees for part-time employees. City staff will gather to discuss a preliminary parking analysis during a June workshop to outline opportunities and have more of a sense of direction.
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