Gulf Shores paid parking season begins with price increase

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) - Today officially begins the paid parking season in Gulf Shores and those looking to enjoy a beach day will have to pay a little bit more.

It will cost 15 dollars a day. That’s five dollars more than last year. Residents say that even if it’s only a five dollar increase, it can add up quickly if they visit the beach daily.

“It really is a huge increase. I think that it’s going to prohibit locals from coming to the beach. I think that beach attendance is going to go down if that matters. I know locals are really concerned about it,” Julie Eschbach said.

Julie and Brian Eschbach are concerned about the change. Last month, city officials told us that the cost of providing public safety, maintenance and enforcement with the leave only footprints program has gone up significantly over the last few years. Making this a necessary change.

“The beach expenses were about a seven hundred thousand dollar a year cost to the city. Well, that number over the last few years has escalated to almost one-point-six million dollars and so, that additional doubling of expenses over the years has created this shortfall and this need to raise additional revenues,” Grant Brown.

But even with the extra money going to a good cause, residents say it may force them to enjoy their summer elsewhere.

“You can always go to Fort Morgan on some of the beaches down there. I’m not sure about Orange Beach, but I’m sure that there’s place down there where you won’t have to pay the 15,” Brian Eschbach said.

“The increase in parking is just incredible. Anybody who lives in Foley or close by cities are really not going to be able to come down and enjoy it as much as they want to,” Julie Eschbach said.

There is still free parking at many locations through the Waterway Walking district and along the north side of Beach Highway.

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