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Indian Rocks Beach to vote on paid beach parking spots

By Heather Healy
Published  January 13, 2026 10:31am EST
Pinellas County
FOX 13 News
Vote on paid parking at Indian Rocks Beach

Vote on paid parking at Indian Rocks Beach

The future of free parking at Indian Rocks Beach rests on a vote Tuesday night at the city's commission meeting. FOX 13's Heather Healy reports.

The Brief

    • On Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Indian Rocks Beach City Hall, a city commission meeting will be held to discuss the topic of having paid parking spots at the beach.
    • The rate would be $4.50 an hour, and you would pay through the Park Mobile app.
    • The main purpose of having paid parking is to generate revenue for things like improving stormwater infrastructure and better beach access. This would bring in more than $1 million.

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH, Fla. - The free parking at Indian Rocks Beach could no longer be available if a vote gets approved at Tuesday’s city commission meeting.

It’s a topic here in Pinellas County that’s become pretty controversial in a short amount of time. Indian Rocks Beach has been the only beach in the county where you don’t have to pay for parking. But pretty soon, that could all change.

On Tuesday starting at 6 p.m. in a city commission meeting, there will be a vote on whether to move forward with all 182 beach access parking spots being converted to paid parking.

It would cost $4.50 an hour, and you would pay for it through the Park Mobile app. But if you are a resident, if you live within Indian Rocks Beach, you would be exempt and still be able to park for free.

You would park in resident-only spots and public parking spaces, and have to have a blue resident decal or sticker on your car.

PREVIOUS: Indian Rocks Beach saying goodbye to free parking

This proposal for paid parking is set to make the beach more than a million dollars each year.

What they're saying:

City Manager Ryan Henderson says this would go toward improving stormwater infrastructure and having better beach access.

"The City Commission tomorrow will consider it on a vote, and then they'll have to come back in February and do a second reading of the ordinance," Ryan said.

There are some beachgoers that say this has them contemplating going to the beach or not, that $4.50 is a little steep.

"Now you can’t enjoy the feeling of going to the beach, parking your car and going. No, I need to spend like $20," said beachgoer, Carolina Carrasco.

"The other cities have utilized their funds to do things for their citizens. It’s time for us to get those funds and do things for our citizens," said Janet Wilson, Vice Mayor-Commissioner for Indian Rocks Beach.

What's next:

If approved, then we move to a final vote that will happen in February, and we will keep you updated on air and online.

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The Source: Information for this story was provided by FOX 13's Heather Healy.

Pinellas County