Parking tickets in St. Petersburg could soon cost drivers another $15, while residents who need permits to park near their homes would pay twice as much, under changes moving through City Council.
Council unanimously advanced the increases Thursday, setting a public hearing and final vote for Oct. 15. The proposal covers expired meters, illegally parked vehicles, residential parking permits and fees for removing parking boots.
Under the ordinance, the penalty for an expired meter or pay station would rise from $17.50 to $32.50.
Most other parking violations would increase from $30 to $45. That includes blocking a driveway, double parking, leaving a vehicle in a fire lane and parking on a sidewalk or crosswalk.
Drivers who park in residential permit-only areas without authorization would face a $65 ticket, up from $50. The same increase would apply to prohibited trailer parking.
The fine for illegally occupying a parking space reserved for people with disabilities would remain $250.
The higher penalties are part of a broader overhaul of the city’s parking rules. Annual residential parking permits would double from $15 to $30, while monthly downtown parking permits would increase from $20 to $25.
The charge for removing a parking boot would also double, from $25 to $50.
The residential permit changes go beyond what drivers pay.
St. Petersburg maintains designated parking areas in and around downtown, around Tropicana Field, and portions of the northeast waterfront. The program allows eligible residents to park longer than posted time limits on certain streets where visitors and commuters compete for available spaces.
The proposed ordinance would expand eligibility to some residents who live just outside those boundaries. Someone living within one block of a permit area could qualify if the location and conditions of their property require them to park inside the permit area.
College students living in a permit zone would also have another way to prove residency. Instead of changing their driver’s license and vehicle registration to a local address, they could provide a student identification card and documentation such as a lease or utility bill.
Permits would remain valid for one year from their date of issuance rather than expiring with the calendar year. The city could also issue digital permits instead of relying entirely on windshield stickers.
Residents with unpaid parking citations would not be eligible for a permit until those debts are addressed.
The changes would not give permit holders unrestricted parking privileges. Residential permits would still be invalid at paid spaces, city-operated parking facilities and locations with time limits of less than two hours.
The downtown permit increase would add $60 to the annual cost for someone purchasing a permit every month, bringing the total from $240 to $300.
The proposed increases follow an Aug. 28 review by the council’s Budget, Finance and Taxation Committee. In a memorandum accompanying the ordinance, Transportation and Parking Management Director Evan Mory said the changes align with the city budget approved Sept. 17.
The measure received no discussion Thursday. No one registered to speak on the item, and council approved the first reading unanimously, with Councilmembers Gina Driscoll and Brandi Gabbard absent.
The increases are not yet in effect.
If council adopts the ordinance Oct. 15, it would take effect under the city’s normal approval process, which gives the mayor an opportunity to veto legislation.
For now, drivers will continue paying the existing fines and permit fees. Residents will have an opportunity to address council when the ordinance returns for its public hearing.
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
