Staff outlines plan for limited free resident parking at oceanfront; would require preregistration and likely raise garage rates

City parking management staff presented a follow‑up briefing on a proposal to provide limited free or discounted parking for Virginia Beach residents in the resort‑area garages. Staff explained that current gateless, license‑plate camera systems require vehicle registration data to enforce discounts, that DMV access for residency verification is limited, and that pre‑registration would be needed to tie a vehicle to proof of residency (personal property or real‑estate tax documentation).

Staff described a sample scenario for council consideration: registered residents would receive three free hours in designated garages (excluding on‑street parking and dynamic‑pricing days); vehicles would be linked to the resident via a registration document; periodic renewals would be required. To maintain the parking enterprise fund under that scenario, staff proposed raising the base garage hourly rate from $2 to $4 and estimated any resident discount program would likely require one to two additional staff members to handle registration and customer service. Staff also estimated that rate increases required to sustain the fund could fall in a $3–$5 per hour range depending on program rules and usage.

Councilmembers suggested stakeholder outreach, and one member proposed a coupon/credit system to limit the total free hours a resident could use each year. Staff said any implementation would need clear council guidance on who qualifies as a resident, permitted duration of free parking, and whether to limit program days. No final decision was made; staff were asked to explore software feasibility, public outreach and an implementation timeline.

Next steps: staff will investigate vendor/software modifications, socialize the concept with stakeholders, and return with options, cost estimates and a recommended timeline.