FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – The Fernandina Beach city commission will meet Tuesday afternoon for a workshop regarding paid parking, which has become a major point of contention between local businesses, residents and commissioners.
The idea presented by the commissioners was originally proposed in April.
In the past, the commissioners have said implementing paid parking would generate around $2 million in additional revenue for the city. They previously told News4JAX that the money would help cover the costs of:
- Constructing a seawall ($20–25 million)
- Demolishing Brett’s Waterway Café and reconnecting docks ($5–7 million)
- Rebuilding aging downtown infrastructure ($10–15 million)
But many residents continue to fight the paid parking proposal, and a grassroots group managed to collect 1,722 signatures over a few weeks for a petition that would have the commissioners put the question to voters, rather than make a unilateral decision.
“Put paid parking to a referendum vote so the tax-paying citizens could decide what was best for the city,” said Jeff Freese, owner of Ash Street Cigar Parlor in Fernandina Beach.
But Freese said that rather than accept what taxpayers are asking for -- a referendum -- a majority of the commissioners are going in the opposite direction.
RELATED: Fernandina Beach moves forward with paid parking plan despite resident opposition
“I am most upset that four of the five city commissioners have turned their back on the citizens that they represent,” he said. “Instead, four of the five commissioners have pushed to accelerate initiating paid parking by Jan. 1 of 2026.”
Several residents plan to attend the workshop on Tuesday afternoon to voice their opinions and concerns.
Watch News4JAX reporter Sophia Vitello’s full interview with City Commissioner Tim Poynter regarding paid parking below.