Parking fee for Martin beaches would face hurdles

By Jason Schultz
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

STUART — When Martin County officials suggested Port St. Lucie builders help pay for their new residents' impacts across the county line, city officials responded with what seemed a simple alternative: Charge a parking fee for beach and boat ramp access.
But a Martin County report shows that may not be as simple as it looks.

Port St. Lucie officials had proposed that Martin County charge out-of-county residents the fee after Martin officials said the developers of several large western Port St. Lucie subdivisions should pay them impact fees.

"Just charge $1 and give county residents a sticker," Port St. Lucie Councilman Jack Kelly said. "It's simple."

But according to a report from Martin County Senior Planner Clyde Dulin, several of Martin County's beaches, such as Sea Turtle Beach, Bathtub Reef Park and Bob Graham Park, are partially owned by the state. The state would have to approve parking fees and how the money could be spent.

Several boat ramps, such as the ones at the foot of the Jensen Beach and Stuart causeway bridges, are owned by the state, Dulin said.

Plus, the county bought much of its beach land with state and federal grants from the Florida Communities Trust and the National Park Service. Dulin said the federal park service grants prohibit charging higher parking fees for nonresidents.

He said Florida Communities Trust officials told him that the state would allow revenue from parking fees on beaches to be used only for maintaining that beach, not for buying more land for parking lots.

"Yes, parking fees are possible, but they may not be as easy as you might think, and they may not accomplish what you are after, which is purchasing more property for parking," Dulin said. "It's unlikely we would be able to charge different fees between residents and nonresidents at these beaches."

Calls to Florida Communities Trust spokesmen were not returned Monday.

Martin County Commissioner Michael DiTerlizzi suggested that if the county cannot charge different rates to outside residents, officials could give county residents a beach parking permit when they pay their annual tax bill. The county then could figure out exactly how much each resident pays in taxes to maintain the beaches and charge out-of-county visitors the same amount for an annual pass when they come to the beach, he said.

Port St. Lucie officials said those hurdles still did not mean their developers should have to pay.
"If they don't own those beaches, why are they trying to make us pay for them?" Mayor Bob Minsky asked. "User fees are the fairest type of tax in the world. I don't ask them to fill up my gas tank for me."

Kelly said other communities have charged for parking, so he does not think it would be so hard for Martin County. Collier County gives its residents parking stickers and charges non-county residents $6 to park at several public beaches.

Meanwhile, Martin County officials are continuing to ask for impact fees from the large Port St. Lucie developments. County Administrator Duncan Ballantyne said he plans to meet with Port St. Lucie City Manager Don Cooper next week to discuss the issue.