NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. — With the implementation of this new parking system, visitors to the Beaches Town Center will notice a significant change in parking fees.

The Neptune Beach Police Department has installed new parking meters, and the cost for non-residents has surged to $5 an hour. This marks a substantial increase from the previous rate of $1.35, tripling the expense for those parking in the area.

The unveiling of the new system coincided with a bustling Saturday evening, as crowds gathered for the annual tree lighting ceremony and the opportunity to take pictures with Santa. This event provided many people with their first exposure to the updated parking prices and system.

Saturday was a busy night with the tree lighting and pictures with Santa converging on Beaches Town Center, so quite a few people are getting their first look at the new system and price.

It made some folks who live on the beaches more grateful than ever, and parking for residents is still free.

“It’s a pretty magical place,” Daniel Hartman said after finding a parking spot.

Hartman brought the family out to Beaches Town Center to experience a bit of that magic with some pictures with Santa.

He was relieved to pass by the brand new parking meters, charging $5 per hour to enjoy the magic.

“It’s a high price to pay to enjoy such a beautiful place,” Hartman said. “I’m happy it’s for non-residents.”

The new parking system has been in the works since May, when Neptune Beach Police Chief Michael Key called the old system “dysfunctional” with more than $800,000 in unpaid citations.

Now, it will have an enforcement component, bringing in a collection agency to go after unpaid citations.

The chief initially pitched raising the prices to $3 an hour, but after a budget meeting in July, the Neptune Beach City Council came up with $5 as an amount to cover the cost of operation.

“Our restaurants and our retail are wonderful,” Neptune Beach Mayor Cori Bylund said. “They offer an elevated experience for everybody in our region to enjoy. Five dollars an hour or ten dollars for two hours is absolutely worth it.”

Residents like Hartman still get free parking, up to four hours, so long as they park on their side — Neptune Beach residents on the Southside of Atlantic and Atlantic Beach residents on the Northside.

Nonresidents do get 30 minutes of free parking before the $5 an hour kicks in, topping out at $60 for the whole day. Citations are set at $60.

“Obviously, you come to the beaches, you’re going to be paying some money, but it’s definitely a spike compared to what it used to be,” Adrian Farris said after spending $10 to park. “Kind of caught me off guard.”

A manager at Homespun Kitchen told First Coast News so many customers have come in asking about parking and the price that they’ve put up a sign with information about it, and her main concern is making sure her employees have somewhere to park.

The mayor said she’s working to put merchants in touch with property owners to explore parking solutions for employees who need to park for work.

She acknowledged the concern businesses may have with the increased price impacting foot traffic during their off-peak season, so they’re considering changing the price from January to March.

However, while it’s still the busy season, Hartman is relieved he found a spot so his family get right to the front of the Santa line.

“There’s going to be a lot of people coming in to enjoy the festivities from the inland, and it’s keeping our parking relatively decent so you can park,” Hartman said.

The mayor in Atlantic Beach told First Coast News he would’ve liked a bit more input before the $5 price was locked in.

He hopes to meet with Neptune Beach leaders this week to talk about the amount since he’s received a lot of feedback already.