Delray Businesses To Get Hit Where It Hurts When It Comes Parking

Delray businesses that can’t physically fit the number of parking spaces the city requires on their property pay a penalty fee that goes toward putting up parking spaces elsewhere.

That penalty may soon be increasing for the first time since 2006.

Commissioners have given preliminary approval to bumping up what business owners and restaurateurs are charged if they can’t provide enough places to park on their premises.

“I support this,” Commissioner Jordana Jarjura said. “We don’t have a shortage of developers wanting to come to Delray Beach.”

Commissioners will consider raising the prices to reach what traffic experts consider “market value” for constructing a parking space.

The proposed increases are based on a $100,000 parking study conducted by traffic consultants in 2010. The study found that it costs Delray $28,000 to build one parking spot in a 300-parking space garage. The price includes construction and design fees, but is based on the city already owning the land where a garage would be located.

The biggest proposed increase comes in the downtown core, where officials are recommending commissioners up the fee 51 percent from $15,600 per space to $23,660.

Parking spaces in Delray’s beach area will see the same price tag of $23,660, a 30 percent increase from the current $18,200 fee. The Pineapple Grove district is also slated to increase 30 percent from $7,800 to $10,140 per space.

The smallest increase will hit West Atlantic Avenue, a place where city officials hope to attract more development. The proposed fee will be a 15 percent increase from $4,000 per space to $4,600.

Areas that fall outside of downtown are poised to see a rate change, too. Sections west of Swinton Avenue are slated to jump 15 percent from $16,000 per space to $18,400. Requests east of Swinton Avenue will increase 30 percent from $18,000 per space to $23,400.

Director of Environmental Services Randal Krejcarek said the money collected goes into a fund that is used to build more centrally located spaces, like parking garages, so folks have places to park their cars without circling to find an open parking spot.

He said the program also prevents buildings from being torn down in order to accommodate parking needs. The requests typically come to commissioners when a building changes its use, such as from an office to a restaurant, and more parking is required.

City officials tallied 133 parking spaces that have used the fee option since the program began in 1999.

Source:  SunSentinel