For now, increasing the hourly parking rates in Ocean City slightly, which will bring in an estimated $1 million in new revenue, is the right move to make this off-season.
Ocean City has been studying parking availability, current and potential higher hourly rates and the possibility of adding more paid parking for the last couple years. After a few unproductive meetings, the task force is ready to issue its recommendations to the Mayor and Council.
The task force was essentially united on suggesting the council increase the hourly parking rate in existing paid parking areas south of 10th Street by 50 cents. As a compromise measure, free parking would be offered during the week in April, May and October and $2 an hour on the weekends in those shoulder months. For the months of June, July and August, the rate would be $3-an-hour across the board including the Inlet parking lot. This proposal is expected to raise about $1 million in new dollars for the city’s budget. The council will ultimately decide to increase the rate.
Additionally, the parking task force voted to send unfavorable recommendation to the council on expanding paid parking on ocean blocks beyond 10th Street. An argument could be made and a conversation should be held at the council level about growing paid parking. We like the concept of 10 to 12 parking spaces closest to the Boardwalk from 11th to 27 streets being converted into paid parking spaces. The task force ultimately decided “enough is enough” in the words of Ocean City hotelier G. Hale Harrison. The task force agreed it was important to limit further major changes in one year, referring to the earlier hourly parking rate increase recommendation and the room tax increase looming on Jan. 1, 2020.
We agree the timing is not right to add more paid parking in the same year as hourly rates are adjusted. However, we think the task force and the city should revisit this discussion after next summer. Incremental expansions of paid parking in Ocean City along the Boardwalk would be justified.
The $1 million increase in parking revenue for the city from the hourly hikes should be enough to accomplish the goal of raising new dollars for the budget on the backs of the day trippers. Going beyond that in a single year would be extreme.
