REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - Get ready to start paying for parking sooner in Rehoboth Beach. City commissioners voted Monday to extend the parking season for this year and change the meter rates. The season is going to start May 15th and end September 15th.The city also voted to change the parking fee to $3 an hour city wide.
Before the changes, meter season was going to begin the Friday before Memorial Day and end the second Sunday after Labor Day.
The original suggestion was May 1st through September 30th, but the commissioners decided to use this season as a "pilot year" to see how the summer goes and how much revenue comes in before extending it to that May 1st date.
An extra nine days has been added to the meter season. One of the reasons for this change is to have specific dates set in place instead of generic ones to help everyone remember when the season starts and when it ends. The other reason is for revenue.
"We got some lofty goals there. At least I do, for realizing a streetscape project in the future, realizing the proposal to renovate another story to the beach patrol building to enhance safety, enhance the public restrooms on Baltimore Avenue, and other projects we've identified that we need the extra funds. And I think we are justified in raising extra revenue based on extending the season," said Mayor Stan Mills.
Parking meters are $2 in the business district, and $3 everywhere else. Starting May 15, all meters will be $3 an hour. A survey from the members of the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners' Association found that 70 percent are in favor of it.
"We're talking about a dollar here. This is the best deal in the country, you can't go anywhere and park anywhere for two or three bucks on a beach lot," said Commissioner Tim Bennett.
With these new changes, city leaders are hoping to create consistency and raise revenue for the future of Rehoboth Beach.
