QuoteJacksonville Beach Charging to Park this Weekend
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL -- If you are visiting or visited Jacksonville Beach this weekend you may have had an unpleasant surprise.
This weekend the City of Jacksonville Beach is testing out a program to charge $10 to park at certain beach parking lots.
The policy is a throwback to one the city abandoned several years ago.
Jacksonville Beach Police, however, are saying that it may be time to start that program back up. They cite the fact that building and maintaining "free" parking lots is not free.
Full Article:
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=140627&catid=3
IMO $10 is excessive. $5 may be more palatable. Or maybe I will head to a beach where the parking is free and spend my money... 8)
This will probably backfire because more people like myself will find parking on the streets and in retail lots off of 3rd and then just walk the extra blocks to the ocean. The business owners and residents will start complaining and then they will stop charging. I'd rather walk and spend the extra $10 bucks on beer! ;D
They need STREETCAR! Bring it on Jax Beach, and I ain't saying some goofy faux PCT Trolleys.
OCKLAWAHA
Jax Beach charging $10 to park. Who do they think they are? The Landing?
sweet, maybe now people will stop going there and come to downtown.... oh wait we still have a 400% homeless rate compared to them, nevermind.
Quote from: brainstormer on June 29, 2009, 09:40:51 AM
This will probably backfire because more people like myself will find parking on the streets and in retail lots off of 3rd and then just walk the extra blocks to the ocean. The business owners and residents will start complaining and then they will stop charging. I'd rather walk and spend the extra $10 bucks on beer! ;D
Becareful... I'm sure the local retailers are ready for this and have tow trucks on the ready.
What a dumb rule. That is a ridiculous rate for Jax beach. Why wouldn't I go a bit North to a nice state park like Little Talbot or Hugeunot and pay $5 or so per car? Somebody gave them bad advice.
Save yourself 6 bucks and go to Little Talbot Island.
Quote from: Dapperdan on June 29, 2009, 05:48:55 PM
What a dumb rule. That is a ridiculous rate for Jax beach. Why wouldn't I go a bit North to a nice state park like Little Talbot or Hugeunot and pay $5 or so per car? Somebody gave them bad advice.
its not primarily for the beach....its mainly crowd control for weekend evenings....and to hopefully discourage the young folks who just park and hang out.
Why not just give them a ticket for loitering then. After enough tickets they'll find a new spot. Don't punish the good people.
Quote from: tufsu1 on June 29, 2009, 06:46:25 PM
Quote from: Dapperdan on June 29, 2009, 05:48:55 PM
What a dumb rule. That is a ridiculous rate for Jax beach. Why wouldn't I go a bit North to a nice state park like Little Talbot or Hugeunot and pay $5 or so per car? Somebody gave them bad advice.
its not primarily for the beach....its mainly crowd control for weekend evenings....and to hopefully discourage the young folks who just park and hang out.
Wow, fresh from Mickey Mouse Town, I'm thinking, what a cool idea... Chase off both of our visitors! I would hope that God would forbid us from allowing young people near our beach, horrors of horror. Maybe we could come up with a parking schedule, based on age, race, color, sex, nationality, size, religion, chewing gum preferences, etc... You know, apply some of that good ol Jacksonville genius here. I could see a national ad campaign coming out of this, maybe even some national news attention.
"Do you know how many bubbles are in a bar of soap? How many seeds in a watermelon? Cause if you do, for only $10 bucks you can have Jacksonville Beach all to yourself! Imagine, being the only customer at Buckets! Staggering along empty roads from The Lemon Bar... Yes, YOU can be one of the lucky 365 people that enjoy this spot annually... Screw Disney, Cocoa, Daytona, come to Jacksonville where you can't ride a roller coaster, can't enjoy your mate, can't listen to music, can't _______ ."
ONLY IN JACKSONVILLE FOLKS! OCKLAWAHA
Who paid $10 yet? Anyone? Then why raise hell about it? Just park on the street, or take the trolley, if its operational. Or, you could have to walk an extra block. But so what, there are miles of beach access. Go find another.
Ock...maybe you need to go down to Jax. Beach on the weekend and check out the crowds before commenting that we only have 2 visitors....I know people who won't go over ther afer say 9:00pm because of the "unruly teenagers".
It is becoming similar to the problem Tampa had when trying to attract more upscale consumers to Ybor City.
The beaches ARE crowded on weekends... but... that is what they want right? The beach is the perfect place for "unruly" teenagers. Charging people $10 dollars to park will clog the streets and discourage visitors. $5 seems more reasonable.
How about no dollars?
I think it's poor timing it seems like another price gouge for tax payer money. People are having to cut back on their spending and not go out as much. Going to the beach is a great inexpensive way to spend a weekend.
To put things in perspective....it cost $12 to park at Disney and only $7 for St. Johns County beach access.
Quote from: tufsu1 on June 30, 2009, 09:10:09 AM
Ock...maybe you need to go down to Jax. Beach on the weekend and check out the crowds before commenting that we only have 2 visitors....I know people who won't go over ther afer say 9:00pm because of the "unruly teenagers".
It is becoming similar to the problem Tampa had when trying to attract more upscale consumers to Ybor City.
I currently live not 5 minutes from the surf, I've yet to have an unruly teen bother myself or my family. My sarcastic point was, when it comes to play time, we don't seem to have a clue how to attract the huge crowds the rest of Florida sells so well. If I could think of a single reason to go to Jacksonville Beach rather then Daytona, Fernandina, Flagler, New Smyrna or Cedar Key, I'd support the fee, but face it folks, this is a "Live - Work - ____________ City... Play is not in our vocabulary.OCKLAWAHA
QuoteMy sarcastic point was, when it comes to play time, we don't seem to have a clue how to attract the huge crowds the rest of Florida sells so well.
Have you ever been to Jax Beach during one of their festivals such as Springing the Blues? Its packed. Fourth of July is always packed too. It will be packed again this year even with the parking fee. So evidently, Jax Beach does know how to attract crowds.
And for me, I'd go to JB long before I went to Daytona.
Quote$7 for St. Johns County beach access
Why again do people "need" to park a vehicle on the beach?
Probably not a "need", but the argument would include nostalgia, convenience, security, 4x4 fun & profit $ for pulling out the "stuckies", lack of surface parking, and now - it's more cost-effective, apparently. Please don't bombard me with the environmental studies as conservative wisdom tells me that it can't be a positive thing.
QuotePlease don't bombard me with the environmental studies as conservative wisdom tells me that it can't be a positive thing.
Wouldn't think of it. But I am sure OCK would like to add light rail on the beach, as we need rail anywhere and everywhere we can get it. :D
Quote from: mtraininjax on June 30, 2009, 11:01:08 AM
Quote$7 for St. Johns County beach access
Why again do people "need" to park a vehicle on the beach?
That fee is to get onto the beach. It's free to park....which makes it the same thing as being $10 to park but free to get onto the beach.
Quote from: CrysG on June 30, 2009, 09:59:57 AM
To put things in perspective....it cost $12 to park at Disney and only $7 for St. Johns County beach access.
ok...but nobody just parks at Disney...they also pay $70+ to get into the theme park(s)
Do the interlocal agreements between COJ and the beaches cities speak to parking fees like this which have the indirect effect of limiting public access to the beaches?
Quote from: mtraininjax on June 30, 2009, 08:48:17 AM
Who paid $10 yet? Anyone? Then why raise hell about it? Just park on the street, or take the trolley, if its operational. Or, you could have to walk an extra block. But so what, there are miles of beach access. Go find another.
You are refreshingly witty!!!!!
Actually MTrain, the beaches are perfectly suited to streetcar, modern Streetcar or LRT Transit. Any city that is a half mile wide and 10 miles long is a natural, if the density is there. On Florida's east coast, the Mayport-Atlantic-Neptune-Jacksonville Beach-Ponte Vedra strip is tailor made. I would suggest LRT construction (for future Jacksonville LRT linking) with streetcar equipment (for immediate savings and economic benefits) and medians, side of road and other minimum mixed traffic running. The only other city that comes to mind as an instant candidate for streetcar would be the Ormond Beach - Daytona Beach - Port Orange/Ponce Inlet.
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: mtraininjax on June 30, 2009, 11:01:08 AM
Quote$7 for St. Johns County beach access
Why again do people "need" to park a vehicle on the beach?
Because it's fun. You don't have to park and lug all of your stuff to the beach. You can pack a cooler and some chairs, park and have a good time. It's a beachside tailgate party.
Quoteok...but nobody just parks at Disney...they also pay $70+ to get into the theme park(s)
Do we really want to compare Disney, Six Flags, Sea World.....to the beach experience? I go to Disney when my nieces and nephews want to stress the heck out of me. I go to the beach to relax and watch the sun wear them out.
OC - The beaches trolley is just fine for now, thanks. DB has all sorts of issues this year, runouts, sharks, no thanks, I like it here.
QuoteOC - The beaches trolley is just fine for now, thanks.
Agreed. Let's work on getting a downtown-riverside streetcar route first.
QuoteLet's work on getting a downtown-riverside streetcar route first.
Agreed, followed by Avondale shortly.
Does JTA sell sponsorships on the side of the Trolleys? I've never looked hard enough, I'm sure they do, but does anyone know for sure?
Quote from: tufsu1 on June 30, 2009, 07:58:19 PM
Quote from: CrysG on June 30, 2009, 09:59:57 AM
To put things in perspective....it cost $12 to park at Disney and only $7 for St. Johns County beach access.
ok...but nobody just parks at Disney...they also pay $70+ to get into the theme park(s)
Not always...to go to Disney's Board Walk and Downtown Disney are free...other than the $12 to park. My point is that normally if you are paying $10 or over it's for something a little better than the beach or at the very least something you HAVE you pay to access (and not get for cheaper a few miles away)