{"id":495615,"date":"2026-01-06T03:59:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T03:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/495615\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T03:59:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T03:59:10","slug":"neptune-beach-leaders-lower-beaches-town-center-parking-rates-after-recent-increase-action-news-jax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/495615\/","title":{"rendered":"Neptune Beach leaders lower Beaches Town Center parking rates after recent increase \u2013 Action News Jax"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. \u2014 Neptune Beach City Council voted to lower parking rates at the Beaches Town Center after hearing community concerns in response to the city\u2019s decision to raise rates to $5 per hour during the evenings.<\/p>\n

City council voted to lower the rate to $2.50 per hour from 11:00 AM to midnight, for now. The city also instituted a $32.50 cap for how much, per day, you can pay for parking. Action News Jax told you last month<\/a> that the city had originally set its new rates at $2.50 per hour during the day and $5 per hour after 5:00 PM. The city said the initial parking rate had been $2 per hour.<\/p>\n

City council members said the higher parking rates had been decided, in part, to help raise money toward keeping the town center clean, well-decorated, and well-maintained. City council claimed that it did not hear many complaints when first working to make the change to $5 per hour during the evenings.<\/p>\n

But some town center employees have argued that the higher parking prices were causing their paychecks to suffer. We reported last month when one town center worker started a petition <\/a>asking the city for a free employee parking lot in response to the higher parking rates. City council members are now promising to create more affordable parking options for employees.<\/p>\n

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s essentially being charged to go to work, and I don\u2019t really think that\u2019s fair,\u201d said Paul Brophy, a town center employee whose business asked not to be named.<\/p>\n

Brophy is one of the multiple town center workers Action News Jax has spoken with who argues that the higher parking rates are taking too much from their checks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a hit to the pockets, it\u2019s ruined staff morale, and it\u2019s a huge hindrance to foot traffic in the area,\u201d Brophy said.<\/p>\n

City council members brought up a few possible ways to create better employee options, including:<\/p>\n