During a Dec. 10 meeting, Monroe County commissioners directed staff to begin preparing updates to the code to allow fees to be charged to nonresidents for vehicle parking, boat trailer parking and boat ramp launch and retrieval at all county parks and beaches.
Changes in the fee structure are proposed at Harry Harris Park, which already charges residents who don’t live in Monroe County, as well as Higgs Beach in Key West, Pine Channel Nature Park on Big Pine Key and Rowell’s Waterfront Park and Mike Forster Memorial Park in Key Largo.
John Allen, parks and beaches director, advised commissioners that implementing a fee structure for nonresidents will provide a sustainable funding source while maintaining free access for residents.
“The intent is not to restrict public access, but to ensure that the financial burden of maintaining these popular amenities is shared by those who don’t pay property taxes in Monroe County,” Allen said. “The potential code amendment is intended to help offset the rising costs of maintaining and improving public facilities’ ongoing upkeep.”
Currently, Monroe County charges nonresident admission fees only at Harry Harris Park. That fee is $15 per nonresident vehicle, plus boat ramp fees of $40 on non-holiday weekends and $60 on holidays.
Park admission is waived for active-duty military, disabled veterans and qualifying individuals under Florida law, provided they present proper identification. The direction given at the Dec. 10 meeting would expand the county’s ability to charge parking and ramp fees at additional locations and would allow those fees to be set and adjusted by board resolution rather than through repeated ordinance amendments.
Staff will prepare the proposed ordinance updates for board consideration at a future meeting.
