York Re-Instates $1 Per Hour Parking Meter Fee

Due to public out-cry, the old fee returns July 1.

It was last fall when an ordinance was approved to increase the hourly meter rate from $1 to $2. At that time, the parking fine was also increased from $25 to $50.

Earlier this week, some York Beach business owners as well as Police Chief Bracy visited a Board of Selectmen's meeting to pass along numerous visitor complaints.

In fact, according to an article in seacoastonline:

Police Chief Douglas Bracy described numerous visitor complaints;

"Over the last month, I have experienced a multitude of people extremely upset with our increased parking fines to a degree that I have not experienced in all my years of doing this," Bracy said.

Since that meeting, the board re-instated the $25 parking fine, and Wednesday they brought back the $1 meter rates. The new rates will go into effect on July 1.

And in most cases at York Beach, you have to have a roll of quarters with you to feed those old meters. Hopefully in the fall York will have meters that take credit cards.

There you have it, democracy in action. Turns out in some cases, you can fight City Hall after all.