DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Delray Beach’s new paid parking rates and time limits in the downtown core continue to frustrate residents, visitors, and business owners, who say the rollout has been confusing and inconsistent.
The changes, part of a pilot program that began Oct. 1, raised prices in garages and surface lots and introduced new limits on how long drivers can stay.
WATCH: Frustrations mount over paid parking pilot program
For visitor John Durr, simply paying to park became its own challenge.
“It’s confusing, I don’t want to say it could be easier, but it’s not so easy for me right now,” he said after struggling with a meter.
Earlier, he tried to use a kiosk that displayed an error message.
“The machine here is out of paper over here, I couldn’t get it to work," he said.
Inside Silverball Retro Arcade, general manager Vincent Messera said his customers have been voicing similar frustrations. Employees who work downtown can pay $10 a month for parking permits, but he says that is not sitting well with staff.
“It’s taking some time for employees and guests to get used to—they’re so used to free parking for how many years. I think awareness needs to increase so people know and they don’t get ticketed,” he said.
Longtime Delray Beach resident Rick Reeder criticized the city for what he sees as poor maintenance of the meters and a lack of preparation.
“The cost of the parking is reasonable but when they give you a machine that begins the conversation with you by telling you the printer has no paper so you can’t get a receipt—that is miserable management of the parking facility system.”
The city’s Public Works Department oversees the meters and upkeep. The issue of increased rates and public frustration was raised at a recent commission meeting, but city leaders agreed to keep the new structure in place until the pilot program ends in April.
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In October, Mayor Tom Carney told WPTV reporter Joel Lopez, the city will be evaluating usage data before making any long-term decisions.
“The city needs the revenues, the residents need to make sure their assets are being monetized properly,” he said.
For those who rely on downtown parking, the hope is that the system becomes easier to navigate in the meantime.
As Reeder put it, “If we’re gonna have these laws to collect these parking fees—which are reasonable, I don’t have a problem with that—then manage your system to facilitate it being done in a manner that’s professional and reflects well on the city.”
