THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 31, 1995 TAG: 9503300161
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Get those nickels, dimes and quarters ready, folks. Enforcement of resort parking meters begins Saturday.
This is no April Fool's joke.
City parking czar Henry Ruiz said 771 metered Oceanfront spaces will be monitored by a cadre of officers hired by the Parking Systems Management office.
A 75-cent hourly charge awaits visitors who arrive at the resort in cars loaded with beach chairs, umbrellas, kids and coolers.
Failure to feed the meters on time will bring offenders a $12 fine if paid within the first 14 calendar days. It costs $24 and more if paid later.
Enforcement remains in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, between April 1 and Labor Day weekend, which concludes Sept. 5.
The parking meter program begins a month earlier this year to coincide with the opening of municipal lots and the beginning of the city's resort residential parking permit plan, said Ruiz.
On Tuesday the change was OK'd unanimously by the City Council at Ruiz's request. New Oceanfront entertainment programs and the extension of the tourist season were cited as reasons by Ruiz.
Other parking program modifications on tap this spring and summer include fees charged at the seven municipal parking lots, which open for business Saturday.
For instance, at the 25th Street lot, motorists will be charged $1 an hour. Those who park for more than four hours will pay a maximum of $4 a day on weekdays and $5 on weekends and holidays.
Municipal lots at 19th Street - both at the Dome site and behind the library branch, will charge users $4 a day on weekdays and $5 on weekends and holidays.
The Oceanfront lot at 31st Street, which will be operated by the city this summer, will assess users $6 a day on weekdays and $7 a day on weekends and holidays.
At the 4th Street lot adjacent to the Rudee Bridge and the two Sandbridge lots, patrons will be assessed a $3 fee per day on weekdays and $4 a day on weekends and holidays.
Back off the resort strip, in neighborhoods affected by nighttime restrictions, Oceanfront residents will be offered free on-street parking. Nighttime parking restrictions have been expanded to include an 80-block residential area bordering the resort strip.
Two decals will be issued free to each household annually. Additional permits will cost $5 each.
Weekend guest passes will be issued in two categories. Up to four yearly passes will be issued per household at $2 each. Temporary visitors passes (good for up to 72 hours) will be issued free per registered permit holder.
Under rules adopted in December by the City Council, business and lodging passes will be combined into one permit, which will cost $10 each for the first five. Additional passes will cost $20 each, and replacement passes will go for a $20 charge. Employers are responsible for distributing the passes to employees and guests.
Residents or business operators seeking on-street parking permits should first call the Parking Systems Management Office at 427-4670, Ruiz said. MEMO: PARKING RULES
Here is what Oceanfront visitors can expect in the way of parking
rules and fees, beginning Saturday:
24-hour parking meter enforcement. The hourly rate is 75 cents, 24
hours a day through Labor Day weekend.
All seven municipal parking lots - both at the Oceanfront and at
Sandbridge - will be open. The rates at each lot vary:
1. At the 25th Street lot the fee is $1 an hour for the first four
hours. It goes up to $4 a day on weekdays and $5 a day on weekends.
2. At 19th Street and the Dome lots, the fees are $4 a day for
weekdays and $5 a day on weekends and holidays.
3. At the 31st Street lot on Atlantic Avenue, the fee is $6 a day on
weekdays and $7 a day on weekends and holidays.
4. At the 4th Street lot at the Rudee Bridge and the two municipal
lots at Sandbridge, the fees are $3 a day and $4 on weekends and
holidays.
Enforcement of the residential parking permit program, which affects
nighttime on-street parking in neighborhoods bordering the resort
strip.
ILLUSTRATION: Staff file photo by DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH
A total of 771 metered Oceanfront spaces will be monitored by a
cadre of officers hired by the Parking Systems Management office.
KEYWORDS: PARKING by CNB