Rehoboth Beach is hoping that two big changes will make the upcoming parking season a whole lot simpler – and generate some more revenue for the resort town, too.
Parking meters and permits in Rehoboth Beach will now be active starting May 15 and ending on Sept. 15.
Rehoboth Beach City Commissioners voted 4-2 on Monday to extend the parking season, which was previously the Friday before Memorial Day through the second Sunday after Labor Day.
Mayor Stan Mills said the reasoning for this change was two-part: to simplify the dates for the parking season and to increase revenue for the city. The new parking season matches that of Dewey, Bethany, South Bethany and Fenwick Island.
The city commissioners also voted unanimously to set a citywide parking rate of $3 per hour. Some side streets, such as Delaware Avenue and Maryland Avenue, previously cost $2 per hour to park. Now, one rate will apply to all metered streets.
See a map of Rehoboth Parking changes
Carol Everhart, president of the Rehoboth-Dewey Chamber of Commerce, said most business owners seemed to be in support of a more consistent parking rate. Owners also were in favor of the May 15 to Sept. 15 season.
SUMMER 2022:Sold out: Standard surf-fishing permits gone within a few hours for 2022 season
The original proposal for extending the parking season was May 1 to Sept. 30. While some commissioners said they would be open to extending the season to those dates in the future, multiple said they were not comfortable doing so until they know the full financial impact on the city, businesses and residents.
Commissioner Ed Chrzanowski, for example, said he worried that local residents may not be as motivated to dine or visit downtown during the weekdays in May if they had to pay a meter.
Business owners, through Everhart, also said they were worried that extending the season through May could affect business from the residential population.
Still, Chrzanowski commented that Rehoboth Beach has clearly changed a lot over the years and started to become more of a year-round community, so it makes sense for the city to respond to that.
Mills pointed out that many residents supported extending the season, according to a survey of 140 residents by the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners Association.
About two-thirds of those responders supported the extended season, and about one-third disagreed, according to Mills.
The mayor emphasized that the city should continue discussions about parking, so that any future decisions can be made before deadlines around city budget and changes to brochures and signage.
Rehoboth’s parking changes also come at a time when many other resort towns down the coast are considering ways to make their processes more efficient or profitable.
PARKING TRENDS:Some big parking changes are coming to Delaware beaches. What that says about tourism
SEASONAL OFFICERS:Higher pay to housing stipends: Beach towns ramp up efforts to recruit seasonal police
Emily Lytle covers Sussex County from the inland towns to the beaches. Got a story she should tell? Contact her at elytle@delmarvanow.com or 302-332-0370. Follow her on Twitter at @emily3lytle.
