FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – Fernandina Beach city commissioners voted 4-1 Wednesday to terminate the city’s paid parking contract as soon as possible. It comes a day after voters approved a citizen-initiated ordinance requiring voter approval before the city implements any type of paid parking program.
The motion, introduced by Commissioner Tim Poynter, directs the city to rescind its contract with One Parking at the earliest possible date. Commissioner Joyce Tuten - who cast the only dissenting vote - said she wanted more information about the financial and contractual consequences before taking action.
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How we got here
Paid parking began in February, despite months of resident opposition and recent legal challenges to stop the initiative. It charges $2 an hour in certain areas of downtown Fernandina Beach.
Commissioners approved a contract with One Parking in August 2025 to manage the downtown parking system. The plan allowed One Parking to operate the parking system using the city’s logo, which drew criticism from some residents who opposed giving control of downtown assets to a third-party company.
The financial impact
City leaders argued paid parking could bring in about $1.5 million a year - money they said would help fund major projects.
The city reported that paid parking has brought in approximately $580,000 in net revenue since the program launched.
Deputy City Manager Jeremiah Glisson previously said the bulk of that money comes from visitors from Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Fleming Island.
At Wednesday’s meeting, several commissioners emphasized that paid parking already generated substantial revenue downtown - and that some of the money was already tied to waterfront projects. However, Commissioner Genece Minshew warned that eliminating the program would not eliminate all of the expenses the parking revenue was intended to cover.
What comes next
City staff must now determine the earliest date that the contract with One Parking legally be terminated and whether the city will owe the company any termination payment. Staff will also need to determine how the estimated $1.5 million revenue loss will be addressed in the upcoming budget.