Program has been suspended since late September because of damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton
Paid parking enforcement will resume on St. Armands Key and Lido Key on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, following the holiday season, the City of Sarasota has announced.
“Paid parking at the John Ringling Boulevard terminus and Ben Franklin Drive on Lido Key also will resume Jan. 2,” a city news release says.
The paid parking program on the barrier islands has been suspended since late September, “when Hurricane Helene pummeled St. Armands and Lido Key” with a storm surge of 4 to 6 feet, the release points out. Thirteen days later, those keys suffered “additional extensive storm damage … from Hurricane Milton,” the release notes. “Infrastructure for the paid parking program was rendered inoperable, including electronics at the St. Armands Garage,” and on-street and surface lot parking machines, the release adds.
“In 2017, the City of Sarasota issued $15.6 million in St. Armands Paid Parking Area Improvements Revenue Bonds to fund the St. Armands Garage construction,” the release explains. “The bond covenants require debt service payments to be made in a timely manner with no exception for natural disasters,” it continues.
As the St. Armands parking program was structured to be self-funded, the release adds, the city “is not allowed to take action that will prevent the collection of parking revenues within the St. Armands Paid Parking Area.” Thus, the release points out, “With the parking equipment repaired, paid parking enforcement will resume to be in compliance with the issuance of the bonds.”
“We’ve been in communication with the St. Armands businesses and residential community for the past several weeks about resuming paid parking,” said Parking General Manager Broxton Harvey in the release. “With the parking equipment repaired, paid parking needs to start back up so we’re in compliance and able to make payments for the St. Armands Garage.”
Non-ad valorem revenues and/or city reserve will be utilized to close the funding gap in the paid parking program as a result of its being suspended for the past three months, the release points out.
“Rates are affordable while boosting parking efficiency and turnover,” the release adds:
- St. Armands Circle on-street spaces — $1.50 per hour.
- St. Armands Garage — first hourfree, the release emphasizes, and then $1 per hour (maximum: $23).
- Fillmore Lot — $1 per hour.
- Ben Franklin Drive/John Ringling Boulevard terminus — $1 per hour.
Questions about paid parking and enforcement should be directed to ParkingInfo@sarasotafl.gov.