Naples councilman wants city to charge for beach parking

NAPLES, Fla. — Naples city leaders are thinking about removing free beach parking privileges for Collier County residents.

The city has 49 percent of the beach parking spots in the county and should be better compensated for them, Naples city councilman Doug Finlay said in a statement.

Finlay wants the city to charge residents $50 a year for beach parking stickers, which would generate nearly $6 million a year for Collier County. Half of that would go to the city.

The proposal wasn’t well-received among homeowners like Linda Dennewitz.

“If a person pays real estate tax, they should get a free parking pass,” she said.

Fellow resident Roger Dumont shares those sentiments.

“I pay taxes here and its one of my minor perks,” he said. “The pier and the beach are for people to enjoy, and the more you have to pay for enjoyment, it takes it [the enjoyment] out of it.”

Finlay believes the parking fee would help offset some of the costs for beach renourishment and upkeep of city facilities.

City and county leaders will discuss the proposal in an upcoming joint meeting.