The City of West Palm Beach passed a sweeping parking rate increase, the largest in the history of our city at the commission meeting on March 23, 2022. Despite the parking department showing an annual profit of 2.5 million dollars last year, the adopted increases include 24/7 enforced parking, flat rate weekend parking, added rates on Sunday, increased event rates, increased monthly rates, increased penalties and a 300% increase in metered parking rates. The one benefit the City claims of the new program is 50% discounted hospitality employee parking. Unfortunately, they do not disclose there are no spaces available at this rate in most all the garages.

The City Commission adopted these new rates after giving less than 48 hours’ notice to the public. The merchants and residents were not given the opportunity to participate in the discussion. The City references a zoom meeting on March 3 of 2021, over one year prior, as sufficient notice and opportunity for merchants and residents to be a part of the process. That zoom meeting comprised of 5 city employees and no merchants or residents. 

These new parking rates will hurt the already struggling businesses who are finally rebounding after 2 years of the pandemic. Residents who do not have assigned parking spaces will bear an additional cost of $300 per month in a time of skyrocketing rental rates and inflation. 

These new parking rates will make the City of West Palm Beach the costliest city to park in all of South East Florida, less a few special districts in South Beach. 

It will be bad for the residents, the businesses and visitors to our City. It will hurt events downtown; it will hurt anyone going to the library or city hall. It will hurt lower income families disproportionately.

We are asking the City Commission repeal the newly adopted rates and give the merchants and residents an opportunity to have their voices heard and develop a more reasonable parking rate program. 

Please add your email and we will keep you informed on the progress of the parking rate repeal and any future proposals that affect our City and it businesses and residents.