FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — Lee County has installed license plate cameras at Lynn Hall Park on Fort Myers Beach that automatically issue $50 citations if visitors don't pay for parking within 15 minutes of arrival.
Watch as Fort Myers Beach Community Correspondent, Anvar Ruziev, speaks with visitors and a business owner on the island about the new automated parking system:
The system, which is expanding to 18 parks across Lee County, has raised concerns among local business owners and visitors who worry about the short payment window.
"15 minutes is not enough time and it's not very fair that it's not even posted anywhere. A lot of people, we tell them to park there, when they're coming to pick up a pizza, or just a slice and they can usually get in pretty quick, unfortunately I think this is going to be very bad for us," said Melissa Sheppard, co-owner of Bella Mozzarella.
Some residents worry that simply searching for a parking spot during busy season could result in a ticket.
"I'm a resident so I can wait, but now that I know that's gonna be like 15 minutes, to find a parking spot, that's a little bit messed up, especially if you don't know," a member of the Jennings family said.
Technical issues have also emerged with the payment system. During my reporting, I observed an international visitor who couldn't access the payment system until using a VPN (virtual private network).
While payment kiosks are planned for the future, currently visitors must pay online, through text, or via an app. Some visitors report no issues with the system.
"We parked here a few times before and we always paid right away, and we never had any problems," said Heidi, an international tourist.
Another visitor added, "I really don't have an issue with it. I come in here and I expect to pay to park, and if I can't find a parking spot I'm gonna move on and find something else."
The parking system expansion is expected to increase county revenue by over $2.5 million annually for this contract. Lee County first hired Premium Parking in 2021 for downtown Fort Myers after the company offered the highest revenue return.
When asked why drivers can't simply be billed for parking instead of being fined, Lee County officials declined an interview request and Premium Parking has not yet responded to inquiries.
"This is our heart, this is our family memories, and I don't want to get a fifty dollar ticket cause I took too long to get out of the car, I don't think that's fair to us," said Diane, a part-time Fort Myers Beach resident.
According to a technician I spoke with, the cameras are activated immediately after installation.
Statement from Lee County Officials:
Paid parking has been in place since May 1 and has been enforced by Parks rangers and cameras as they are installed and brought online.
This is the same company (Premium Parking) that runs the downtown lots. This system records the license plates of vehicles entering the paid lots and exiting.
Lee County Parks & Recreation has emphasized education, most often issuing warnings. In the event a citation is warranted, the fine is $50.
Here is a list of all paid parking lots that will have this system installed:
- Bonita Beach Park
- Bonita Beach access #1
- Little Hickory Island Beach Park (access #10)
- Lynn Hall Park
- Bowditch Point Park
- Alva Boat Ramp
- Bunche Beach Preserve
- Caloosahatchee Regional Park (all three lots)
- Davis Boat Ramp
- Hickey Creek Mitigation Park
- Imperial River Boat Ramp
- Lakes Regional Park
- Lavenders Landing
- Manatee Park
- Matlacha Boat Ramp
- Pine Island Commercial Marina
- Punta Rassa Boat Ramp
- Six Mile Slough Preserve
The transition to this system was announced in April, it will will provide a standardized and user-friendly parking experience across all designated sites.
It is also more flexible, as it allows residents and visitors to pay by text message, a mobile app, through a website or at a kiosk.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
