Newport Council Approves Paid Parking In Nye Beach

The Newport City Council has approved a new fee structure for public parking in the Nye Beach district, adopting a resolution that introduces metered spaces, time-limited free parking, permit options, and a tiered convenience fee for electronic payments. The measure, Resolution 20216, passed on a 6–1 vote, with councilor Hall abstaining after raising concerns about Sunday morning enforcement hours and the visual impact of new signage.

Under the plan, the only metered area in Nye Beach will be the turnaround lot, with about 48 spaces going to paid parking. The Visual Arts Center parking lot, which is shared with the Sylvia Beach Hotel, will allow three hours of free parking between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., in line with other three-hour free parking zones in the area. The city will also introduce permits for business owners and employees who need to park longer than three hours in time-limited areas, along with day permits for lodging guests and event attendees.

City staff described the Nye Beach program as a lighter-touch version of the parking strategy first implemented on the Bayfront. Tokos explained, "Congestion is not as severe in Nye Beach, but the district has significant maintenance needs in its public lots and related infrastructure." The turnaround lot includes a seawall and a large retaining wall that require ongoing care, and the Visual Arts Center parking lot needs reconstruction to address an ADA accessibility problem, with an estimated cost of about $100,000.

To help pay for these needs, the resolution also creates a citywide parking transaction convenience fee that will apply to both the Bayfront and Nye Beach. The city’s goal is to recover third-party processing costs up to a maximum of 25 percent, with fees scaled by payment method. Examples cited include a convenience fee of roughly 23.5 percent for text-to-park transactions, about 7.3 percent for pay stations, and about 4.1 percent for electronic permits. Drivers paying with cash or coins at a pay station will not be charged a convenience fee.

The new structure will replace the supplemental business license fee now paid by Nye Beach businesses, which currently generates just over $8,000 a year. Staff estimate that the updated parking program, including the convenience fees, could generate tens of thousands of dollars in annual revenue, most of it from the turnaround lot, and possibly around $40,000 to $50,000 from convenience fees alone.

A key point of debate on the council was the enforcement window of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., particularly on Sundays. Councilor Hall argued that earlier discussions suggested openness to a later start time, such as 11 a.m., and said they did not feel they had been given enough information on observed parking utilization to justify the 9 a.m. start.

Councilor Hall also raised concerns about the height and number of sign poles, especially in the highly scenic turnaround area. They said they did not want to see more tall poles blocking views and suggested using lower-mounted signage where possible. Staff replied that only about six additional poles would be added in the wider Nye Beach area and that no new poles are planned for the turnaround itself. Instead, the city will rely on existing ornamental light standards, one existing signpost, and a concrete pylon for mounting signs.

Staff also explained that in high-pedestrian areas, signs often must be mounted higher for safety reasons, since lower aluminum signs can pose a hazard to people walking nearby, and that replacing oversized poles districtwide would have to be done gradually as funds allow. City staff said they have spent the last two years working with residents, Nye Neighbors, businesses, and arts organizations to shape the final program, including changes made in response to feedback from the Visual Arts Center and Equin Arts.

As part of those adjustments, the city will provide complimentary permits for Visual Arts Center volunteers at no charge and coordinate with the organization on how those permits are issued. Staff also committed to adding supplemental signs to better direct drivers to the Performing Arts Center’s 150-space free parking lot, giving visitors a no-cost option a few blocks away from the beach.

Mayor Kaplan said that outreach has helped residents and businesses understand and increasingly accept the move to paid parking. With the resolution now adopted, the next steps include ordering new signs — a process that will take about 20 days at the fabricator — installing and reprogramming equipment, coordinating permits with local organizations, and finalizing the rollout schedule. City staff emphasized that the new system is intended to shift more of the cost of maintaining Nye Beach’s parking and coastal infrastructure to visitors who use it, while reducing direct fees on local businesses.