Paid parking spots are filled on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, four days after voters opted to kill that parking program during the primary election. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
Published on August 25, 2026 at 1:33 pm
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After voters decisively killed paid parking in Downtown Fernandina Beach this month, and city officials then voted to cancel their parking-management company’s contract, they have now announced the paid parking program will end on Nov. 18.
Almost 75% of voters supported eliminating paid parking along Centre Street and other areas with yes votes on the citizen ballot initiative.
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“We appreciate the professionalism and partnership One Parking has demonstrated throughout this process,” City Manager Sarah Campbell said in a Tuesday news release. “While the program will be ending, we are grateful for their willingness to work with the city and honor the terms of our agreement as we move forward.”
The cancelation ends the City Commission stated goal last year to develop sources of revenue other than taxes amid the city’s population growth. The added revenue 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 Downtown infrastructure, the city said.
Paid parking went into effect in February of this year, and includes all public lots and spaces along Centre Street from Ash Street to Alachua Street. It also includes Front Street east to but not including 8th Street. Those who park get a 20-minute grace period so they can briefly stop to run an errand without paying, city officials said. After that, parking costs $2 per hour between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
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The city immediately faced grassroots opposition to the paid parking proposal, resulting in an October lawsuit demanding an injunction to stop it from being initiated. A judge dismissed most of that citizen complaint. Many residents took to a Citizens Against Paid Parking Facebook page to support the ballot initiative against paid parking.
Until Nov. 18, paid parking will continue to operate as it does currently, the city said. And parking fees are non-refundable, according to city code.
