Beach tolls, parking fees on the agenda for Tuesday's Volusia County Council meeting
Changes could be ahead for how residents and visitors access Volusia County's beaches.
On Tuesday the County Council is expected to discuss beach vehicular access tolls and the cost of parking in county spaces near the beach. The meeting will start at 4 p.m.
The County Council also plans to discuss how both systems are managed and funded. The county is proposing to add automation at some beach toll stations over the next few years. Adding automated parking lot pay kiosks is also an option.
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How much does it to drive on Volusia County's beaches?
Volusia County charges $20 a day per vehicle to drive on the beach for residents and visitors. The county sells annual passes for $25 to Volusia County residents and $100 passes to visitors. Inlet park passes are $10 for a day and $20 for a year.
Property owners, permanent residents, and students of Bethune-Cookman University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Stetson University can buy annual resident passes. Anyone with a disability can get a pass for free "with a valid disabled person license plate, temporarily disabled person placard, or disabled veteran license plates," according to the county.
Should fees be dropped or reduced?
Councilman Troy Kent, who joined the board in January, said he supports allowing Volusia County residents to drive on the beach for free or reduced amounts. Council Chair Jeff Brower has in the past voiced support for free beach driving for residents. Councilman Danny Robins has raised concerns about cost.
How much does the county make from beach passes?
The county expects to bring in over $8.45 million from daily beach passes and annual resident and non-resident passes in the current fiscal year, according to budget estimates. The county received over $8.05 million in the previous fiscal year from those revenue sources.
What about parking?
The county maintains about 3,994 off-beach parking spaces, and 1,730 of those spots are paid, according to a county presentation. The paid spots are at the Ocean Center, Lighthouse Point Park and Smyrna Dunes Park. The rest are free.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia County beach driving rates: Council to talk possible changes
