Residents have mixed emotions about a residential parking program in North Beach neighborhoods that was approved by city commissioners Wednesday. , the program will require residential parking permits in certain zones in the North Shore, Biscayne Beach and Normandy Isles neighborhoods in an attempt to ease parking troubles in an area with many apartment and condo buildings. Residents will soon need to register for permits as part of a one-year pilot program that is anticipated to start in November, though there will be no charge for the permits during the first year.
After that, passes are expected to start at $56 per year, subject to change by the City Commission. Under the pilot program, residents will be allowed a maximum of two permits per household and can purchase up to 30 24-hour visitor passes every three months for $3 each. The permit zones would be in effect from 6 p.
m. to 7 a.m.
Monday through Friday and from 6 p.m. on Friday to 7 a.
m. Monday on weekends. During the initial two months of the pilot program, residents will not be subject to citations, and they will not be towed during the duration of the yearlong pilot.
After the one-year pilot ends, violators may be towed on a three-strike basis. Though many residents say they support the plan, more than 450 people rejecting the idea. Some opposing residents have said the plan unfairly restricts residents with limited visitor passes for large events.
Commissioner David Suarez, one of the sponsors of the legislation,.