Vero Beach City Council approved construction of a new long-term parking lot at Vero Beach Regional Airport that will expand capacity from 80 spaces to over 500, but the project marks the end of free parking at the facility. Construction is expected to begin in March and be completed by next summer.
Brandon Dambeck, interim airport director, said the expansion is driven by new flights coming to the airport. "We have to meet the parking demand," Dambeck said. The current parking situation is not keeping up, he noted.
"It looks a little disorganized, especially in the grass parking area. So that's one thing this parking will really solve," Dambeck said.
When asked why the airport is introducing paid parking, Dambeck explained that the airport operates without taxpayer dollars and must use the funds to cover the costs of any upgrades to the airport. "The airport is responsible for maintaining its self-sustainability, meaning we don't take any taxpayer dollars," said Dambeck. "We have to make sure that our charges will help to to maintain the operations that happen at the airport." The upgrades include new covered walkways, baggage claim, and a new patio. The lot will be built and paid for by Envision Parking Partners, while the airport will be responsible for maintaining it.
John Mostoller with Envision said travelers will be able to pay through a prepaid option using license plate readers or at the lot gate. "There's a lot of opportunities to make the experience seamless," Mostoller said. The new lot will also add cameras and lighting for security, and convenience will remain a priority.
"No parking spot will be more than two to four minutes from the terminal," Mostoller said. Some travelers expressed disappointment about losing free parking. "That sucks.
"I mean, that's — it's a nice plus to be able to park, especially if it was already free," traveler Reana Tejada said. Sydney Banak, who was able to park for free during her visit, said she understands the reasoning behind the change. "Free parking is nice," Sydney said. "But maybe they need to expand the airport or provide more services, so I do understand where they're coming from with that."