Parking meters return to Wrightsville Beach in less than a month — March 1 — and several changes to the town’s parking program could be implemented this season, including extending enforcement to 7 p.m. in certain lots and adding more metered zones throughout the town.
The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen will hold a public hearing during its Feb. 11 meeting to seek input before it votes to pass all or some of the proposed changes to visitor, residential and commercial parking.
The island’s visitors will be affected by the proposal to extend enforcement hours and add paid parking to Wrightsville Beach Park and several currently unmetered streets in the Harbor Island business district.
Hours of enforcement would only be extended in beach strand parking lots with restroom facilities — the north end lot at Public Beach Access No. 2, the Crystal Pier lot, Johnnie Mercer’s Pier and the L-shaped lot at Public Beach Access No. 4. At their annual retreat, board members said those restrooms were heavily used until sunset, requiring public works manpower to maintain.
Another proposed change would add a pay station allowing two free hours to Wrightsville Beach Park. Last summer, town staff noticed beachgoers parking in Wrightsville Beach Park, occupying spaces that are meant for park visitors. Town laws currently limit parking in that lot to three hours, but enforcement has proven difficult.
The board will also consider adding pay stations to the town hall parking lot and Marina Street and installing meters on Keel Street. The equipment would be moved from beach strand streets, which would become pay-by-phone.
A few of the proposed changes would also affect residents by raising the price of their residential parking permits from $25 to $35 and regulating usage of such permits. In addition to further limiting where the permits can be used, the new parking ordinance would prohibit residents from parking in a metered spot for more than seven consecutive days, with the punishment being a $150 civil citation.
Those who work on the island could also have to pay more to park. Commercial I parking permits would be raised from $500 to $550 and Commercial II permits would be raised from $125 to $150.
The board’s parking discussion will also cover compact spaces. Residents have complained about large cars squeezing into the spaces and blocking them from reaching their homes or docks. The problem could be addressed by shortening the spaces from 16 feet to 15 feet so there is less ambiguity over the length of car allowed to park there, town staff said.
The Feb. 11 meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. in town hall council chambers.
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Wrightsville Beach has all but ruined the enjoyment of island visitation from a locals point of view. $2.50/hr parking fees, raised residential parking passes, increased citations and extended meter hours now keep me off the island. The Town has made the island a tourist attraction much like an amusement park…. absolutely pitiful!