Last year’s Hilton Head residential beach parking passes will remain valid through May
The 2022 Hilton Head resident beach passes will remain valid for three extra months, through May, at no additional cost, the town has announced.
The extension will continue to allow residents to park at the Island’s beaches until May 31 as the town transitions to a new digital permit system.
The town expects that PCI Municipal Services, its partner for the new system, will be ready to issue 2023 parking passes starting in June.
Last year, passes cost $15 per vehicle and were limited to two vehicles per household. They gave residents access to 135 spaces at Islanders Beach Park and 30 at Driessen Beach Park on a first-come basis.
Beach parking prices for 2023 will remain at $15.
New Hilton Head residents without 2022 passes can apply for a temporary beach parking pass by contacting the town’s Facilities Management at (843) 342-4580. Temporary passes cost $15 as well and any resident issued one will not need to apply for a 2023 pass.
Under the new system, paying for parking at the island’s beaches will go digital, replacing the current system of hang tags, stickers and dashboard placards with beachgoers able to pay for parking via text or a QR code.
According to previous reporting by the Island Packet, passes will be tracked through drivers’ license plates with cameras monitoring each lot. People who have not paid for parking will be reminded by text if their license plate is already in the town’s parking system. Repeated failures to pay for parking could result in a fine.
The system will also allow for residents to see how many spots are available at the designated areas.
“Once we can fully get this program implemented, I think the public is really gonna see the benefit in terms of understanding where parking is available, how it’s going to be managed, how it’s going to be enforced,” Deputy Town Manager Josh Gruber said.
This story was originally published February 28, 2023 at 12:21 PM.
