Satellite Beach City Council votes to stop beach booting program: 'Problems have arisen'

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Published  December 3, 2024 6:36pm EST
FOX 35 Orlando
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Satellite Beach to end beach parking booting

Beach booting is on its way out in Brevard County. Vehicle booting issues have been a big problem in Satellite Beach for more than a year when the city started charging people to park at their beaches.

SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. - Beach booting is on its way out in Brevard County. 

Vehicle booting issues have been a big problem in Satellite Beach for more than a year when the city started charging people to park at their beaches. 

FOX 35 News reported on multiple community concerns about the program. People went to the beach and came back to a boot on their tire. Many were frustrated. Now, city leaders want to change course. In a 4-1 vote on Nov. 6, the Satellite Beach city council voted to remove the boot system and just ticket people instead who don’t pay for parking.

The new rules will come up again on the agenda for this Wednesday’s city council meeting. If everything passes at the next two meetings, the city manager says booting will end on Jan. 1. 

"I’ve never seen anything like it," said beachgoer Mason Sapp. 

He wasn’t the only one who didn’t like the program. 

"I thought it was pretty annoying," echoed Coen Howerter.

Beachgoers thought it was a bad move, and now some city leaders also say it’s doing more harm than good.

"The issue is, problems have arisen, and now we’re trying to fix it," said council member Mark Boyd. 

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FOX 35 covered problems with the program since 2023. Some struggled to take it off on their own. 

"I got someone to help me release it," said Kathy Parsons, who was also unexpectedly charged $500 when she said she didn’t know there was a time limit to returning the boot. 

Others had parking permits but still ended up getting booted because of an employee error. 

"I don’t understand how the worker made that mistake, it’s very elementary. It’s right there on the screen," said Brett Ross. 

To stop issues like this from happening anymore, the majority of city council members think ticketing will do the trick. Council Member Boyd spearheaded the new motion to remove "demobilization as a part of the program."

The city isn’t planning to remove paid parking at their beaches with this change. It adopted the program back in 2023 to help with upkeep and maintenance at beach parks. Leaders didn’t want local taxpayers footing the full bill on their own anymore.

Drivers wish parking was still free, but removing the boot helps.

"That’s a lot better," said Howerter.

"I think that’s fantastic. I think that’s great news for everyone. That's a win-win," concluded Sapp. 

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