Sarasota city commissioners moved forward Monday with a plan to extend paid parking hours downtown and raise many parking fines, advancing an effort to shore up a parking system that city officials say is supposed to pay for itself.

The proposed ordinance, approved unanimously on first reading May 4, would make on-street paid parking enforceable from 8 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. It would also make parking rules apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week in municipal garages and municipal surface lots, except on city-recognized holidays. If approved on final reading, the changes are scheduled to take effect June 1.

The proposal would not increase the city’s existing hourly parking rates. Instead, it would expand the hours when drivers must pay and increase many parking fines by $5 or more.

Broxton Harvey, Sarasota’s parking general manager, told commissioners the parking enterprise fund is supposed to support itself but has been under pressure from lost revenue and rising expenses. The fund is projected to lose $270,784 in the 2026 fiscal year, based on $6.29 million in revenue and $6.56 million in expenses. The added paid parking hours are projected to generate about $2.72 million a year, while citation increases are expected to bring in about $280,750 annually.

“We’re looking at trying to get ourselves out of the hole—and staying out of the hole,” Harvey told commissioners during the Monday meeting.

Under the ordinance, the city would also narrow the list of days when paid parking is suspended. The proposal would keep free parking for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday/President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, while removing Sundays, New Year’s Day, Good Friday afternoon, Memorial Day and the day after Thanksgiving.

The fine schedule would also change. Overtime parking fines would increase from $25 to $30. Fines for parking in restricted areas would rise from $35 to $50. Double parking fines would increase from $30 to $35. Wrong-direction parking would become a $50 fine, and fines for parking in a fire or emergency lane would rise from $35 to $50. Habitual parking violators—defined as drivers who receive more than three parking tickets within 60 days—would see the added citation fee rise from $35 to $40. Delinquent fees would also increase, while fines for illegally parking in spaces for disabled drivers would remain $250. 

The proposal drew objections from several speakers who warned that longer paid parking hours could hurt downtown businesses, especially restaurants and nightlife venues that depend on evening visitors.

Rita Pagani, a public speaker, said the combination of longer paid parking hours, higher costs and fewer street-level parking spaces would make downtown less inviting.

“The goal is to bring more people downtown,” she said. “The focus should be on enhancing accessibility, supporting businesses and making it easier, not more difficult, for people to come stay and spend time here.” 

Commissioners, however, framed the ordinance as a way to keep the parking system from drawing money from the city’s general fund. Vice mayor Kathy Kelley Ohlrich asked where the money would come from if the parking fund did not cover its own expenses. Harvey said the alternatives were increased fees, extended hours or the general fund.

Commissioner Liz Alpert also pressed Harvey on whether extending enforcement hours would require more staff. Harvey said no additional staff had been requested. The city’s garages already use license plate recognition cameras, he said, and the added on-street enforcement could be handled through scheduling changes among existing parking enforcement staff. 

Harvey said extending hours was preferable to raising the hourly parking rate because a rate increase would affect every driver who pays to park, while longer hours would affect a smaller share of users. If the change hurts evening activity downtown, he said, the city could revisit it.

City mayor Debbie Trice said the changes would also allow the parking fund to take over the cost of the city's trolley, which costs about $970,000 and is paid from its Economic Development Fund. That, she said, would free money in the economic development account to support small businesses. 

Drivers would still get 10 free minutes in metered spaces and one free hour in parking garages, but Harvey said they would have to start a parking session at a kiosk, pay station or through another payment method to receive the free time. In time-limited spaces without meters, drivers would not be allowed to move a car a few spaces down or within a one-block radius to restart the clock; they would have to move to another city block. The rule does not apply to metered spaces, where drivers can stay longer by paying for more time. 

Final approval would be required before the new hours and fines take effect.