As a proud resident, homeowner, and business owner within the city of Fernandina Beach for over 30 years, I am writing to voice my strong opposition to the proposed implementation of paid parking. Locals do not want paid parking in our hometown. Over the years, I’ve volunteered for Sounds on Centre, Fernandina Main Street, The Nassau Sport Fishing Association, The Black Friday Pajama Party, Historic Fernandina Business Association, the Fernandina Pirates Club, and a number of other groups and events that have held activities in historic Fernandina. As locals, we know where to park for the most part, but when you add in a bunch of tourists, gests and visitors, it will be like herding cats
Fernandina’s charm lies in the welcoming spirit of our community, our neighbors… our people. We are not just another quaint, seaside town made from the same cookie cutter. Introducing paid parking will make our small coastal town just like all of the others. Many of which have recalled their own paid parking policies.
“Commissioners have voted “no” on an ordinance to add paid parking in Panama City.”
Published: May 28, 2024
This policy would be especially harmful to our senior citizens and those with physical challenges or living on a fixed income. For many of our seniors, even small obstacles, small changes, can become challenging, and in turn discourage downtown visits. Locals do not want paid parking; we don’t want to navigate paid kiosks or learn to use yet another app. If there will be fewer accessible free spots, it will mean the difference, for many residents, between an afternoon downtown or just staying home.
“Venetian Bay residents celebrate the end of a paid parking program in their community”
March 26, 2025
“In St. Petersburg, residents have voiced concerns about businesses’ overflow parking spilling into residential neighborhoods, negatively impacting their ability to park outside their homes.”
Equally concerning is the impact on our surrounding residential streets. As people seek to avoid paid spots, they will inevitably begin parking further out from the paid spots and spill into our nearby neighborhoods. This will bring an increase in foot traffic, noise, blocked driveways, fender benders, litter, and unfortunately, likely an uptick in petty theft. Locals do not want paid parking to cause a general disruption to the peaceful character of our cherished historic, district?
“Public Denounces Flagler Beach Paid-Parking Option, Splitting Commission on What’s Next.”
April 30, 2015
Paid parking will deter casual shoppers, local lunch-goers, and the sort of spontaneous foot traffic that many businesses depend on. The very people who make up the backbone of Fernandina, its residents, will stop coming downtown for a cup of coffee, to run an errand, or to meet friends for dinner simply because it feels like a hassle or an unnecessary expense.
“In Ybor City, residents have expressed frustration over crime and disturbances associated with private pay-to-park lots in their neighborhoods.”
June 27, 2024
We won’t pay for parking. When friends and relatives come to visit Fernandina, they will be shown sites out of areas requiring paid parking. We will have a cocktail at Hammerheads instead of the Palace Saloon, perhaps we will dine at Baxter’s or Sliders, and not at Cafe Karibo or Timoti’s, and we may grab a bite to eat at 1928 Cuban Bistro instead of Baba’s Mediterranean. We will use this opportunity to explore businesses with rave social media reviews in Yulee and Wildlight. We may choose axe throwing over rolling the balls at Duck Pinz. We will try a local brew at Disco Witch or Love’s Brewery, instead of The Tavern. Sure, the Boathouse has good food, but so does the Down Under. We can play mini-golf on Sadler Road instead of Gregor MacGregors, and there is plenty of live music to be found at the Surf, the Sandbar, Saltlife and more.
“Gainesville City Commission suspends downtown paid parking until June”
WUFT News, February 4, 2022
Yes, I will notice paid parking, and you can pretend our tourists may not immediately notice a few extra dollars to park. At first, they may not. But when you add insult to injury – these visitors will keenly see all of our faults.
Let me share with you how compounding blight and inconvenience will be seen by our guests. They will notice the glaring dredging scars on our beautiful beaches while taking the picturesque vacation they saved money to go on. They will notice the sorry planning to renovate Main Beach’s Putt Putt at the beginning of summer. How convenient the timing for the owners of Gregor Mac Gregor. And the biggest thing that will deter our tourists from leaving glowing reviews and planning return visits is when they look for a grocery store. How amused will visitors be when they learn there is no major grocer within the Fernandina Beach city limits? 
When those vacationing find it difficult to grab snacks, juice boxes, instant oatmeal, beer, a birthday cake, and baby food… I fear Fernandina will be lucky to receive a two-star review. Remember, when someone likes something, they will tell someone. When someone is unhappy about something, they will tell everyone who will listen. Our USA Today, Conde Naste, and Global Traveler Magazine rankings will fall like dominoes.
Fernandina Beach is at a crossroads. Will we become just another coastal town where locals don’t want paid parking, but no one is listening, so our commissioners are chasing parking revenue and generic tourist experiences, or will we preserve the soul of our community, including its charm and its welcoming residents? Or perhaps it is time to become absorbed into Nassau County and be rid of incorporated Fernandina?
Please, reconsider. Paid parking is not the solution. Locals do not want paid parking! It is the start of a slow unraveling of what makes Fernandina Beach so special.
And don’t even get me started on the controversial waterfront park: expensive, unwanted, and a missed opportunity to actually serve the public.