$80 a boot: Satellite Beach parking enforcement frustrating visitors
No free parking: Satellite Beach ups enforcement
Satellite Beach is upping its enforcement of parking violations since eliminating free beach parking months ago. At some lots, the cost is $2.50 an hour to park at the beach. Stay too long or don't pay, your car could be booted. The fee to remove it? $80. Some residents believe the enforcement has gone too far.
SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. - Imagine going to the beach and fishing for a few hours only to come back and find a car boot on your tire – preventing you from leaving.
It happened to Johnny Durante, whose vehicle was booted on Wednesday.
"I've been booted for no reason. I'm out there fishing – I come back, and I'm booted," he said.
"Yesterday there were two booted (vehicles) when I pulled in, and then just this morning, 15 minutes ago, there was another van that was booted," said Jim Katanski, who frequents Satellite Beach often.
Satellite Beach, a coastal city in Brevard County, Florida, stopped allowing people to park at the beach for free. The change went into effect months ago. However, issuing tickets and warnings wasn't enough, so enforcement increased.
It's $2.50 an hour to parking at Satellite Beach. Those who do not pay or whose parking time expired, may be hit with a boot – and it's $80 to have it removed. Some residents believe the city has taken enforcement too far.
"Ticketing is not generally that effective, and we are just trying to get compliance," said City Manager Courtney Barker.
The city is using a private parking enforcement company to monitor beach parking lots and chose the boots to make sure they get paid if people don’t pay the hourly and daily rates.
Besides the unexpected fee, it's also causing people frustration about how to get the boot off – and whom to call.
"I don’t feel good, Durant said. "They’re stealing."
Others worry the new enforcement tool will push visitors away from the Space Coast.
"College campuses were really strict about booting, so I definitely don’t want to go through that again," said Harrison Hillenmeyer, who’s from Cocoa Beach and visited Satellite for the first time since moving.
"This is not the way to encourage people to come to your city," said Brevard County resident, Sandra Sullivan.
The city said booting vehicles is not going away, but residents can apply for a free yearly parking pass.