FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – Parking at one Nassau County beach has been extended after a unanimous vote by commissioners.
The Peters Point Beach Front Park lot used to be closed to vehicles between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. The new restricted hours are midnight to 5 a.m.
The move is a reversal of an original restriction that was put in place in the summer of 2016.
Residents initially expressed concerns about what people were doing at the beachfront park during the evening. They wanted the beach to be closed after dark. To address those concerns, commissioners limited parking after 8 p.m.
But residents said that also limited the hours they can go to the beach for a sunset walk, go on horseback rides and fish.
“It is beautiful out here, a lot of things close pretty early out here in Amelia Island, so I’ve heard several people complaining about that,” Mecca Ibabuchi said.
Some people said that 8 p.m. is too early but midnight is too late.
They wish there was a happy medium.
“My husband and I have been out here later and it’s nice, it’s quiet and you just hear the waves. But then the flip side is you’re always going to have teenagers looking for trouble, finding something to do -- there’s a good and bad,” said Jeanie Crager, another beachgoer who thinks a good cutoff time would be around 10 p.m.
One thing is evident, there is a larger police presence at the beach public parking lots and that puts everyone at ease.
While crime isn’t a problem in the area, there have been occasional problems that have led to Nassau County Sheriff's Office patrols in the area.
“The police are parked down there," Crager said. "They come here often, kind of check on things they do, and they also ride up and down the beach, too. Last year, I think there were a few issues, and I noticed the police presence is a lot better now than two years ago."
The Sheriff’s Office is already following the new ordinance. You can park until midnight, but deputies will ticket you if you are parked between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. Parking is still free, and there is usually ample parking.