Last year, Sarasota spent more than a half a million dollars installing parking meters. However, losing free parking didn't go over well with businesses in the area. After 10 months, the city bagged the meters.
Now the city plans to keep the meters, but it's tweaking enforcement of them.
The good news is that Sarasota will not issue parking tickets on Saturdays and Sundays in downtown, starting sometime soon. Commissioners are still working on a timeline.
The regular week hours are also getting cut short by two hours. Now, parking enforcement hours will run 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., instead of until 8 p.m.
The bad news is for those who still fail to follow parking rules, the fines are going up.
If you fail to pay the $15 parking ticket, your ticket increases by $15 every 30 days, with a cap at $45.
And if you still haven't paid your illegal parking ticket and a cop stumbles on your car on city property, they can lock its wheel. Previously, it would cost $50 to remove the boot. That fee has also increased to $75.
