Free parking around the Virginia Beach Convention Center and Virginia Beach Sports Center near the Oceanfront will remain in place this year.
The city delayed new fees that were set to begin in April.
Mayor Bobby Dyer said the pause will last through the upcoming tourist season and give officials time to speak with the public about challenges at the lots and the concerns of people who regularly use them.
A resident parking voucher program at the Oceanfront will begin April 1 and the city is considering building a parking garage at Parks Avenue and 19th Street. These happenings could help inform how fees at the convention center and sports center eventually may be rolled out later.
“We want to make sure we get this right,” Dyer said Tuesday.
The two facilities share parking areas and lots fill quickly when events take place simultaneously. Sometimes, vehicles stay all day, meaning spots don’t turn over, according to a city presentation.
Fees would have started at $1 for the first hour and gone up to $10 per day.
Dyer said the delay will also give the city a chance to determine potential cost of living impacts coming out of the General Assembly session.
On Tuesday, members of the council agreed with the pause but said the topic needs to be revisited to address parking at the resort, including providing and maintaining spaces and the cost of the 19th Street garage.
Equipment that was to be used for the now-postponed fees is scheduled to be installed and may provide better data about how the lots are used. It can give a sense of daily usage and how many weekends parking there is “pushed to the max,” Public Works Director L.J. Hansen said.
