VIRGINIA BEACH — The City Council is considering a new Oceanfront parking voucher program for city residents and rate changes for public parking options in the resort area.
The proposal aims to address the council’s desire to offer free or discounted parking for residents while maintaining enough money from the fees collected to support parking operations and maintenance.
On Tuesday, city staff pitched an annual $50 credit for people who live in Virginia Beach. It would be a digital voucher available through a mobile app. Participants would have the option to reload the voucher for an additional $50 or $25.
The program would apply to on-street metered parking along Atlantic Avenue between Rudee Loop and 38th Streets and the side streets in between Atlantic and Pacific avenues. It would also include the public lots at Rudee Loop, Second and Fourth streets as well as the city garages at Ninth, 25th and 31st streets.
Under the new proposal, the city would also reduce the first hour of on-street metered parking from $2 to $1. A progressive pricing strategy would then be applied after one hour for the metered spaces and in the city lots and garages. It would cost the most to park at meters for extended hours; the garages would max out at $24 per day.
The goal is to encourage turnover in high-demand areas, said L.J. Hansen, director of Public Works, at Tuesday’s meeting.
Under the proposal, the city would eliminate an existing resident discount of $3 parking after 5 p.m. in the city garages in the resort area as well as the three-hour maximum for on-street parking. Monthly garage parking rates and seasonal lot rates would also increase.
The program would begin April 1 if the City Council approves the changes.
“We want people from all over Virginia Beach coming to the Oceanfront, and I think this will help,” Mayor Bobby Dyer said.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
