In July 2020, The Aldermen of Wrightsville Beach voted to increase parking fees from $2.50 to $5 per hour, along with a heavy increase in parking violation fees. This is said to combat the loss of revenue due to the pandemic. Parking meter collections in 2019 were $3,520,711 as opposed to $3,382,322 in 2020. (Wrightsville Beach Audit)

We are asking to restore parking fees to their original price of $2.50 per hour and back to their original time of 9:00-5:00, as it is unfair to residents in the Wilmington area to pay this outrageous price.

Some revenue is needed for the maintenance of infrastructure in the area. According to North Carolina state law, parking expenses and traffic-related issues are supposed to be funded by parking-meter revenue. However, a law from 1998 allows Wrightsville Beach to surpass the state law and utilize the funds in a much "broader sense," with that being the payment of property taxes of homeowners on the island. (S.L.) "In fact, in Wrightsville Beach, visitors to the island pay almost the same amount in parking fees as residents do in ad valorem taxes." (Praats, PortCityDaily) With property taxes being $3,392,747 and parking revenue being $3,382,322. (Wrightsville Beach Audit)

The escalation in parking fees is an indirect form of economic discrimination. Wrightsville Beach is a public commodity, and increasing payments is a way of privatizing something that should be open to the public. $5 is approximately 69% of the federal minimum wage, making this price uptick an especially heavy burden on students or anyone working in low-paying jobs. (Many of those service industry jobs are located on Wrightsville Beach.)

Wrightsville Beach has also extended the hours and is voting to increase parking in "premium" spaces to $6 an hour until 8 PM. These include spots near the beach or amenities. The company Pivot, the app used to pay for parking, has "requested 514 — about 29% — of those spaces to become premium, including: 

North Wrightsville Beach Lot (Access 2): 27 spaces
Ocean View Lot (Access 3): 28 spaces
North Lumina Lot (Access 4): 91 spaces
Moore's Inlet Lot (Access 8): 56 spaces
East Salisbury Street (Access 16): 103 spaces
West Salisbury Street (Access 16): 82 spaces
Wynn Plaza: 18 spaces
South Lumina Lot: (Access 36): 82 spaces
Jack Parker: (Access 44): 27 spaces"

(Castagno, PortCityDaily)

It is unfair and completely inappropriate to rely on money from people who also may be struggling financially due to the pandemic to contribute to other people's property taxes. A pay-to-park company should not influence a town's decision to raise parking prices. Wrightsville Beach is a public commodity and should not be economically privatized for the use of a few. 

Articles used + further reading:

S.L. 1998-86 (ncleg.net)

- Wrightsville Beach 2020 Audit (Municipalities St-Z 6/30/20 2020-14 [6/30/2020] (In Process)) (nctreasurer.com)

Wrightsville Beach increases parking rates, violation fees | Port City Daily 

Beach trip? You'll pay more to park in these coastal towns (starnewsonline.com) 

State law restricted use of on-street parking revenues until legislators exempted Wrightsville Beach | Port City Daily 

Pivot Parking recommends WB increase rates for premium lots, among other changes | Port City Daily