DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Beginning this month, parking in downtown Delray Beach costs more — part of what city leaders call a plan to improve access and encourage turnover. But some local businesses say the change could come at the expense of community connection.
WATCH BELOW: ‘Parking is going to cost money on Sundays really creates a barrier,’
Parking price hike has local businesses worried about community impact
For the last four years, the Coco Market has been a space where wellness meets community. Every first Sunday of the month, hundreds gather to meditate, stretch, and shop local.
“Typically we get about a thousand to two thousand people depending on the day,” said Corey Heyman, founder of the Coco Market.
Heyman said every aspect of the market has always been free — at least until now.
“Our mission is to make wellness accessible and to create this community where there’s no barriers to entry,” Heyman said. “Now to see that the parking is going to cost money on Sundays really creates a barrier.”
Delray Beach
This is what workers are saying about the city’s employee parking permits
Beginning October 1, all City of Delray Beach garage and surface lot rates were adjusted between Swinton Avenue and the Intracoastal Bridge. The city says the change is part of a comprehensive parking plan designed to improve turnover and keep parking available when and where it’s needed most.
Rates are now $1.50 per hour in city garages — including Old School Square, Robert Federspiel, and iPic — $2 per hour for surface lots, and $3 per hour for metered side streets. Atlantic Avenue and A1A parking rates remain unchanged.
Delray Beach residents can buy a $12 annual parking permit for designated areas. But visitors like Patricia Powell, who travels from Boca Raton each month to attend the Coco Market, worry the higher rates could drive people away.
WATCH BELOW: ‘Renewing it every month, that’s a little much too,’ Employee Savanah Pienaar tells WPTV
This is what workers are saying about Delray Beach’s employee parking permits
“I think it might deter some people, yea, because the parking’s extremely limited here, so you have to use the garage,” Powell said.
Heyman said the new rates also affect market vendors, who now have to pay to park while working.
City Manager Terrance Moore said Delray Beach is aligning with other cities experiencing similar parking pressures.
“We are experiencing more and more visitors, more of a customer base, and we’re doing what we can to manage the environment in regards to parking, which has always been a challenge in this community,” Moore said.
In the meantime, Heyman and other residents who have started petitions, are asking the city to reconsider the fees or find other solutions. She’s urging community members to share their feedback at the next city commission meeting on October 14.
