Myrtle Beach City Council takes step toward enforcing paid parking year-round, residents have mixed feelings

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Myrtle Beach City Council wants to enforce paid parking year-round, and while some residents are fans of that idea, others are not.

The council passed the first reading of a budget ordinance Tuesday that included year-round parking.

The proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-24 is about $360 million. It includes no property tax increases, a stormwater fee increase and extended paid parking enforcement.

There are 2,513 paid parking spaces in the city. Currently, Myrtle Beach’s paid parking meter season runs from March until October, from 9 a.m. until midnight every day of the week.

Brittany works for a tourist shop near Ocean Boulevard. She said most shops and restaurants already struggle during the offseason.

“You’re not going to get any businesses during the offseason,” Brittany said. “Which is what a lot of people even come down here because they’re like, ‘oh, we come down here when the parking is free.'”

While some locals like Brittany are upset with having to pay extra fees during offseason, some residents said meter parking is a much cheaper option in Myrtle Beach and do not mind having to pay year-round.

“I don’t feel like it would change anything, we would still come here,” said Toni Abbamondi, a resident.

City officials said the current rates would stay the same. It cost’s $3 per hour if a vehicle is parked in one of the oceanfront beach access lots, but just $2 per hour if the vehicle is parked between 6th Avenue North and 16th Avenue North.

If the ordinance gets final approval, beachgoers would have to pay to park during the offseason as well. The city said this would provide an estimated $250,000 in annual revenue.

City spokesman Mark Kruea told News13 that the proposed budget would take effect July 1 and that the ordinance will be up for second reading at the next council meeting.