York Beach to double parking rates: Here's why and how it will impact your wallet

YORK, Maine — Town officials are planning to raise the town's metered parking rate from $2 to $4 per hour, a move they say could increase revenue by nearly half a million dollars.

Selectboard members told Town Manager Peter Joseph Monday they were in favor of going forward with the increase. The move will keep their rates competitive with other towns in southern Maine, including some with even higher rates.

Joseph recommended the increase without changing the rate for an annual parking pass for residents, which is $40. The town does not plan to raise the rate at Mount Agamenticus.

Joseph said the board can increase the meter fees without voter approval. No vote by the board was taken, but three of the five board members said they backed the proposal.

“I support your recommendation,” board member Marla Johnson said. Marylin McLaughlin and Chair Todd Frederick followed in expressing their agreement.

Board member Mike Estes pointed out the likely impact of raising the parking rates.

“We’ll just sell a lot more permits,” Estes said.

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York charges less for parking than other communities

Town officials started discussing raising parking rates with the Ellis Park Board of Directors earlier this year. The directors, who manage Ellis Park separately from the town, said they would consider raising rates to address revenue concerns, but only if the town did the same.

Raising the rate, Josephsaid, is projected to bring in $465,000 of additional revenue for the town. The Selectboard was told increasing the rate to $5 per hour would bring $697,500, though Joseph did not recommend going that high.

Frederick said new revenue from the parking could go toward trash pickup, which local business owners at Short Sands Beach have advocated doing.

Rates are poised to rise at Long Sands Beach and at other locations in York that have meters.

The discussion of raising parking revenue also comes as the board and Joseph discuss next year's proposed budget. They said Monday they plan to keep new spending down and not ask for new positions.

"It shows that we're feeling some of their pain," Estes said of taxpayers and their coming budget proposal. "We see it."

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Joseph and staff at town hall recently researched what other communities have for parking rates and found York was below the rest. A report compiled by staff and presented to the Selectboard shows Ogunquit charges $5 to $7 per hour during their summer season. Other communities listed include New Hampshire State Parks rates at beaches in Hampton, North Hampton and Rye at $3 per hour.

The report from town staff states Old Orchard Beach has a $4 per hour rate. However, a town councilor from Old Orchard Beach confirmed last month they only considered raising rates and that parking remained at $3 an hour for summer 2023.

Of the 12 communities listed in the report, Saco, Kennebunk, Scarborough and Biddeford were found to have no hourly parking rate. Those communities instead rely on a daily rate ranging from $15 to $35.

Joseph said an average beach visit might last three to five hours. He said the towns with daily rates charge more than York’s $2 per hour.

“We are by far the lowest in the area,” Joseph said.

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Mount Agamenticus parking fees to remain the same

Selectboard members were told Monday that raising rates at Mount Agamenticus to $4 was not recommended because of concern that it would result in less usage. Parking rates of $2 per hour were only recently implemented for the first time on the mountain. Until then, the mountain was free to visit.

Selectboard Chair Todd Frederick said he was fine with a $4 per hour fee across town. He compared it to Fort Foster in Kittery, which he frequents and pays a fee.

“I pay the out-of-town rate,” Frederick said. “I don’t get a deal.”

Peter Murray, the town’s parks and recreation director, told the board that $4 per hour was much higher than other parks, however. He said the average park costs between $2 and $7 per day to visit. According to Murray, a two-hour visit, the average time spent on the mountain, would be more than that with an $8 cost.

Murray said his department also received many letters from visitors to the mountain that said they did not plan to return because the $2 per hour fee recently implemented.

“We’re concerned it could drive down revenue,” Murray said. “The $2-an-hour fee was a hard sell.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York Beach, Maine to double parking rates