Street parking in Coral Gables is going to get a little pricier

Visitors and residents who park on the street or in a garage in the Gables will have to pay a little more.

An hourly rate increase of about 50 cents was made official Tuesday by the City Commission. The maximum hourly rate for on-street parking will go to $2 and it will cost $1.50 an hour to park in public parking garages. There will also be a $5 increase in monthly parking permit costs this year and again in the 2022 fiscal year.

Kevin Kinney, the city’s parking director, said that the rate hasn’t changed in nearly 20 years. After reviewing the city’s rates and comparing them with other cities like Miami and Miami Beach (where hourly metered rates range from $2 to $4), the city’s parking staff felt the hike was justified.

The increase is expected to bring a little less than $1 million in revenue to the city and will fund parking garage improvements.

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.

“With the level of service that we’re beginning to try and increase, the garages should help to pay for that level of service since that’s where most of the money is being spent,” Kinney said.

The city has also discussed using some of the new revenue to pay for relocation of the police headquarters and construction of a new public safety building.

The rate increase will happen over the next eight to nine months across the city and continue over the next five years. The increase won’t be applied to street parking on Miracle Mile, 100 Giralda and at the nearby public parking garages until the streetscape project is substantially complete.

Kinney said the city will likely increase the rates at popular street parking areas, like on Alhambra Plaza and Alhambra Circle, before moving to other areas.