Hilton Head Island beaches are getting new meters. What does it mean for tourist parking?
Instead of coin-operated meters or outdated kiosks, beachgoers may notice new electronic parking systems on Hilton Head Island, but that’s the only change for now. Visitors will pay the same rates at the same locations, according to Deputy Town Manager Josh Gruber.
Depending on the beach, parking for non-islanders ranges anywhere from free to $1 per hour. Vehicles with valid resident permits aren’t required to pay for metered parking at the town’s public beach parks.
Though there aren’t any current changes, the new kiosks are a step toward a program requiring paid parking for tourists at two currently free beaches, increasing fees to $5 per hour, and gating some beaches. However, the program proposal is still in the Community Services and Public Safety Committee, meaning the electronic parking fees and changes couldn’t be voted on and implemented by the town council until at least after Labor Day in September.
“From a programmatic standpoint, nothing is changing,” Gruber said of the new kiosks. “It’s just that the technology underneath it is being updated.” The town’s 2024 budget identified $869,730 for its parking program, including equipment, supplies and labor.
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Read more about the Town of Hilton Head Island’s proposed parking fee structure at: https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/community/article287588735.html
This story was originally published May 29, 2024 at 10:57 AM.
