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Week of July 24, 2003 |
| Parking costs in Miami could jump as much as 200% By Susan StableyThe cost of parking in Miami could jump as much as 200% in prime locations if the city approves a request from its parking authority. The Miami City Commission today (7/24) will consider an ordinance that would raise fees for the first time in nearly four years, said Art Noriega, executive director of the Miami Parking Authority. Increases would hit the meters, five garages, 61 lots and 17,000 spaces run by the authority. Monthly parking on McFarlane Circle in Coconut Grove would rise to $45 from $15, as would cost of a monthly permit on Southwest Eighth Street between Brickell Avenue and Southwest 27th Avenue, according to city documents. Near Biscayne Bay, Brickell-area drivers could see a monthly jump to $85 from $25. Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce and Brickell Area Association officials said they were unaware of proposed rate hikes. Mr. Noriega said the increases are "market-driven." Some meters in the city have remained at the same rate for eight to nine years, he said. The city could use the extra revenue for capital projects such as new parking facilities in the Allapattah and Little Havana neighborhoods, he said. A study by Colliers International in June 2002 listed parking fees in Miami's business district as low when ranked against monthly rates in major metropolitan areas. Parking downtown averaged $94 a month in the Magic City, while commuters kicked out upward of $450 in midtown New York or $263 in Philadelphia. Still, other Florida cities had lower rates of Jacksonville at $85 and Orlando at $75. Also proposed is an expanded decal program for residents similar to what Miami Beach offers, Mr. Noriega said. "If it passes, we're prepared to start immediately." |
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