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Posted on: September 4, 2020

‘North Beaches’ parking program (check back for updates)

REGISTERED ATLANTIC BEACH RESIDENTS GET THREE HOURS FREE PARKING IN THE ATLANTIC BEACH SPACES. NO NEED TO USE THE APP OR KIOSK. REGISTER AT WWW.NORTHBEACHESPARKING/ATLANTIC. STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? EMAIL INFO@COAB.US OR CALL 247-5804.

JULY 7, 2020 UPDATE

Neptune Beach will be terminating the contact with RTA consulting in mid-August after the license plate cameras and software are installed on the enforcement vehicle. Neptune Beach will officially take over the management once the contract is terminated. Neither city will suffer a financial loss by terminating the contract. Here is Neptune Beach’s Mobility Management Implementation Plan.

JUNE 15, 2020 UPDATE

The City Commission has modified its pay-for-parking rules in Beaches Town Center to enable registered Atlantic Beach residents to park for three hours in Atlantic Beach spaces at no charge.

Enforcement of the pay-for-parking program at Beaches Town Center is delayed until further notice by the parking consultant, who works for the City of Neptune Beach.

The North Beaches Pilot Parking Management Program is a public-private partnership between the cities of Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach. The program is managed by RTA Consulting; the Beaches Town Center Agency also has had a key role in the parking initiative.

To help Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach manage traffic and parking, pay-to-park spaces are located throughout Beaches Town Center. The program began with a soft launch on Oct. 17 to inform businesses, residents and visitors of the new rules and regulations; answer questions; and to demonstrate how the parking program app and kiosks work. Only courtesy notifications of violations are being issued during the soft launch.

Pay-for-parking will be enforced from 11 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. To park in a pay-to-park space, vehicle operators must use the marked pay stations (kiosks) or download the Flowbird app. The app is free; users are charged 35 cents for each transaction. Customers using the app should click on the yellow icon.

There are seven kiosks in Neptune Beach and two in Atlantic Beach. The first half hour of parking is free; after the first free half hour, the cost is $1 per half hour. The maximum daily fee is $12.

The City of Neptune Beach has allocated 35 spaces at the Beaches Town Center southwest perimeter on Cherry, Walnut and Second streets for registered Neptune Beach residents to use at no charge. The City of Atlantic Beach has established a 50-percent discount for its registered residents who utilize pay-to-park spaces in Atlantic Beach. Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach residents may register their vehicles at www.northbeachesparking.com.

The Beaches Town Center Agency and Merchants Association have a program to provide dedicated parking spaces for employees working in the Beaches Town Center. There are also privately owned lots throughout Beaches Town Center that are not included in this program. Spaces that are part of the Neptune Beach-Atlantic Beach program display the North Beaches Parking logo, as do the kiosks. The program utilizes an automatic license plate recognition system to capture license plate numbers, along with the location, date, and time.

Customers who choose to use a kiosk should have their license plate number, which is used to activate the system. There is no need to display a receipt or enter a space number to verify payment. Americans with Disability Act (ADA) parking is free for four hours.

All first-time citations, other than those involving ADA space violations or other illegal parking, will receive a one-time courtesy notice of violation. Subsequent citations will result in the issuance of a parking invoice listing the violation and an option of paying the $12 maximum daily fee by the end of the next business day. Those payments may be made via the Flowbird app, online, or at the North Beaches Parking office in the rear of the Neptune Beach Police Department at 200 Lemon St.

If citations are not paid by the due date, a $10 administrative fee will be added to the invoice. If that payment isn’t made within 30 days, the citations will be submitted to the appropriate city government for enforcement and collection action.

The North Beaches Pilot Parking Management Program and the cities of Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach encourage people to not drink and drive. As such, overnight parkers can have citations waived upon verification that they took a safe ride home. In cases in which a vehicle is parked overnight, a citation may be issued, but the car is not towed.

The North Beaches Pilot Parking Management Program was created as a trial endeavor to create a data-driven, market-based, self-sustaining initiative. During the 18- to 24-month pilot program, the resulting market data will be continually reviewed and modifications will be made, accordingly.

In Neptune Beach, expenditures of the revenue generated from the North Beaches parking program must be approved by the City Council. In Atlantic Beach, parking revenue may be used to fund transportation-related measures and Beaches Town Center projects.

The parking program’s Flowbird app is readily available in various app stores. Download instructions are posted on the kiosks and an instructional video is posted at www.northbeachesparking.com. The program’s parking ambassadors also serve as customer service personnel, and can provide assistance.

Additional information about the North Beaches Pilot Parking Management Program is available from the cities of Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach; by visiting www.northbeachesparking.com; by calling (904) 566-9410; and by emailing manager@northbeachesparking.com.

North Beaches Pilot Parking Management Program FAQs

What is the North Beaches Pilot Parking Management Program?

How do I contact the North Beaches Parking Management Program?

Information about the North Beaches Pilot Parking Management Program is available at www.northbeachesparking.com; by calling (904) 566-9410; and by emailing manager@northbeachesparking.com.

How does the program work? How much does it cost? What are the hours?

To park in a pay-to-park space, vehicle operators must download the free Flowbird app or use the marked pay stations (kiosks). There are seven kiosks in Neptune Beach and two in Atlantic Beach.

Pay-to-park will be enforced from 11 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. The first half hour of parking is free; after the first free half hour, the cost is $1 per half hour. The maximum daily fee is $12.

Customers may pay with a credit card through the app, or pay at the kiosks using a credit card or cash. The kiosks will accept $1, $5 and $10 bills (no coins). The machines will not give change, so cash payments must be exact-change only. Customers must enter their license plate information; there is no need to display a receipt or enter a space number to verify payment.

The parking program will utilize an automatic license plate recognition system, which has cameras mounted on enforcement vehicles to scan license plates. Please note that your license plate must be readily visible; backing into spaces is prohibited.

How do I download the Flowbird app?

Where are the pay-to-park spaces?

Parking spaces in Beaches Town Center are marked by signage and/or pavement markers. There are 229 spaces (165 in Neptune Beach and 64 in Atlantic Beach). There are time limits imposed on certain designated spaces in Atlantic Beach during enforcement hours; those spaces will be clearly marked.

There are some privately owned lots throughout Beaches Town Center that are not included in this program. All spaces that are part of the Neptune Beach-Atlantic Beach program will clearly display the North Beaches Parking logo, and North Beaches Parking kiosks will clearly display the logo.

How do I pay to park?

You can pay at any pay station displaying the North Beaches Parking logo (illustrated below) or on the app, which can be downloaded from www.northbeachesparking.com/app. You may pay at any kiosk; they are not associated with specific spaces. Kiosk locations are illustrated below.

An instructional video is posted at www.northbeachesparking.com. Having trouble? You may always ask a Parking Ambassador for assistance.

How does the "first 30 minutes free" work?

You do not need to go to the kiosk or use the Flowbird app if you park for less than 30 minutes. If you park for more than 30 minutes, you will not be charged for the first 30 minutes at the kiosk or via the Flowbird app.

I live in Neptune Beach. Do I get to park for free?

The City of Neptune Beach has allocated 35 spaces at the Beaches Town Center southwest perimeter on Cherry, Walnut and Second streets for registered Neptune Beach residents to use at no charge. The spaces in Neptune Beach are not otherwise discounted for residents. Residents may register their vehicles at www.northbeachesparking.com.

I live in Atlantic Beach. Do I get get to park for free?

The City Commission has modified its pay-for-parking rules in Beaches Town Center to enable registered Atlantic Beach residents to park for three hours in Atlantic Beach spaces at no charge.

I work in Beaches Town Center. How does this impact me?

The Beaches Town Center Agency and Merchants Association have a program to provide dedicated parking spaces for employees working in the Beaches Town Center.

What happens if I receive a violation notice (citation)?

All first-time citations, other than those involving Americans with Disabilities Act or other illegal parking, will receive a one-time courtesy notice of violation. Subsequent citations will result in the issuance of a parking invoice listing the violation and an option of paying the $12 maximum daily fee by the end of the next business day. Those payments may be made via the Flowbird app, online, or at the North Beaches Parking office at the Neptune Beach Police Department.

If citations are not paid by the due date, a $10 administrative fee will be added to the invoice. If that payment isn’t made within 30 days, the citations will be submitted to the city government for enforcement and collection action.

How do I challenge a citation?

Any person receiving a violation notice may contact the North Beaches Parking Program management to discuss, challenge or question the notice by calling (904) 566-9410, or by emailing manager@northbeachesparking.com . If the complainant is not satisfied with the results of that process, they may request an additional review with the North Beaches Parking Program management and the City Manager of jurisdiction in question.

If the 30-day deadline has passed and the citation has been turned over to the appropriate municipal authority, any adjudication or challenge related to that violation would be subject to the municipal code requirements for that specific violation.

What do I do if the pay station isn’t working?

Please use another pay station; they are not associated with specific spaces.

Are there seasonal adjustments to the parking rates and/or regulations?

None are planned; however, adjustments may be made in the future as a result of data generated and the subsequent evaluation.

Who enforces the pay-for-parking program?

RTA Consulting has been hired to perform enforcement and customer service operations. Parking rules and regulations in the area unrelated to the pay-for-parking program will be subject to around-the-clock enforcement by the police departments. These include all ADA parking regulations, illegal parking (wrong-way parking, double parking, blocking driveways, etc.), and others.

Where is the North Beaches Parking program office? When is it open?

North Beaches Parking employees are called “ambassadors”. The program manager or an ambassador is at the program office behind the Police Department from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Otherwise, the ambassadors are in the field, so to speak. To meet a North Beaches Parking employee at a time other than 9:30 to 10:30, call (9904) 566-9410 and they will meet you at the office.

What is a pilot parking management program?

Additional information about the North Beaches Pilot Parking Management Program is available at www.northbeachesparking.com; by calling (904) 566-9410; and by emailing manager@northbeachesparking.com.