Atlantic Beach hears Pivot Parking rollout as council presses renter-pass and enforcement questions

Tina Reid, co-founder and executive vice president of Pivot Parking, told the Atlantic Beach Town Council at its March 6 worksession that the company will open a local office at Triple S Marina, 1511 E Fort Macon Road, and expects to sign the lease the week of the meeting. Reid said Pivot aims to finalize the town portal by March 18 and begin selling seasonal passes before April 1.

John O'Daniel, the town manager, asked Pivot to label permit products as "Property Owner Passes" rather than "resident pass" to avoid confusion between homeowners, long-term renters and short-term visitors. Reid said the system requires property owners to register renters' license plates if they want renters to receive the no-cost pass; Mayor Pro Tem Austin Waters noted several renters have complained they should be able to register directly.

Pivot described its enforcement approach as a two-step process: ambassadors will first scan license plates to confirm payment and, if needed, use a secondary application to verify whether a plate is registered under a seasonal/property-owner pass. According to staff notes, ambassadors will take five photographs per violation for documentation. Reid told the council ambassadors are instructed not to touch visitors' phones or handle customer devices; instead, staff will direct visitors to call Pivot's local office so a representative can walk them through the payment process.

Reid said Pivot planned a six-digit zone code system and the council agreed on short codes for each area: ABPARK1, ABPARK2 and ABPARK3. She said the company will maintain a local phone number with an extension routed to the Atlantic Beach office and voicemail when the local office is closed.

Council and staff discussed fees and eligibility. Reid mentioned a potential $35 daily maximum rate during her presentation; O'Daniel reminded the group that rate had not been authorized by the council. The town confirmed that boats registered in Atlantic Beach and mobile homes on leased land that pay Atlantic Beach property taxes are eligible for two vehicle registrations. Businesses will continue to receive one free business registration pass; council asked Town Manager O'Daniel to confirm whether a privately offered lot at Circle Point (offered by Fred Bunn) can be used as dedicated employee parking for Circle businesses.

Next steps: Pivot will provide draft citation language and past-due letters for town review, finalize portal details by March 18 and prepare to sell seasonal passes before April 1. Council retained control over final rate approval and pass-eligibility rules.