Centre Street in historic Fernandina Beach will get paid parking this spring. | City of Fernandina Beach
Published on January 7, 2026 at 12:00 pm
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Despite widespread opposition in the community, paid parking is coming to Fernandina Beach’s historic downtown after the City Commission approved the measure Tuesday night.
The 4-1 vote came after residents and business owners complained for months that hourly paid parking will have a negative effect on the community.
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The vote means paid parking along Centre Street and in city lots will begin in April, a few months before a referendum on the issue Aug 18, when residents could vote to end it.
A number of opponents spoke against the program Tuesday before the vote. They included longtime downtown homeowner Chris Nelson, who said other cities that tried paid parking like this have encountered problems.
“The people that made promises on the amount of revenue that those parking meters would bring in, failed miserably,” Nelson said. “Maintaining the parking meters failed miserably. People who work for the city were inundated by problems with the pay system not working.”
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Resident Brian Douglas said the city has rushed into the program.
“As far as I know, we don’t have a compelling emergency to fund right now,” Douglas said. “There’s lots of things to look at if we need to raise money.”
The only commissioner who spoke before the vote reiterated his opposition, saying the “overwhelming majority” of city residents would vote down paid parking if the referendum were held now.
“I don’t believe this commission is doing the will of the citizens. I don’t believe that at all,” Vice Mayor Darron Ayscue said. “I’m here to do the will of the citizens. I’m going to continue to vote no on paid parking until it’s gone from Fernandina Beach.”
Paid parking particulars
The commission set a priority last year to develop sources of revenue other than taxes, pointing to the need due to the city’s growth. A city report projected revenue of $1.5 million to $2.5 million annually if paid parking were instituted. That would help fund projects like a new $20 million to $25 million seawall, demolishing Brett’s Waterway Cafe to expand existing docks and rebuilding aging infrastructure downtown.
READ MORE: Neptune Beach backs off $5 hourly parking rate
The plan will add paid parking to all public lots and spaces on Centre Street from Ash Street to Alachua Street and from Front Street east to — but not including — 8th Street. It also will include the public parking lots at the marina.
City officials said there will be no physical parking meters. Instead, signs will direct people to pay through a smartphone app. The system will be set up by One Parking, a company approved by the commission a few months ago, with street signs with QR codes so people can pay by cellphone.
Under the ordinance, parking rates will range from $2 to $4 per hour. City residents, including property owners and residents within the city limits, can get two annual parking permits at no cost, and more for $24 each.
There will be a 20-minute grace period, allowing people to briefly park to run an errand without paying, city officials said. Nonresidents can buy an annual permit for $124 per vehicle, or a monthly permit for $60.
The commission’s vote Tuesday came after a judge dismissed a citizen-led lawsuit on Dec. 31. The lawsuit sought to stop the city from instituting the paid parking plan.
A PAC called Citizens Against Paid Parking filed the lawsuit just over two months ago. The judge ruled that the legal challenge was premature and Citizens Against Paid Parking could refile the suit after the commission’s action.
