BETHANY BEACH, Del. - The Town of Bethany Beach is considering a 33% increase in its hourly parking fee as part of its proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget, raising the rate from $3.00 to $4.00 per hour. The town's finance committee says the increase is necessary to offset rising costs associated with summer operations, including staffing, entertainment, safety, and beautification efforts.
If approved, the new rate is projected to generate an additional $1.1 million in revenue for the town’s General Fund. This move follows a prior discussion in January when officials initially proposed a more modest increase from $3.00 to $3.50 per hour. Since then, the committee has revised the proposal to $4.00 to keep pace with regional trends.
Bethany Beach’s proposed increase aligns with nearby resort towns. Rehoboth Beach implemented a $4.00 per hour rate last summer, while Ocean City is considering raising its fee to $4.50 per hour. The 33% increase in Bethany Beach will also impact the cost of daily parking permits, parking tickets, and shuttle bus permits, which are expected to rise proportionally.
Town officials emphasize that the fee adjustment is essential to ensure summer operations remain self-sustaining. The costs of hiring and retaining seasonal employees have surged in recent years as Bethany Beach competes with neighboring towns for a limited workforce.
However, not everyone is on board with the proposed hike. Longtime resident Timothy Bratten, who has lived in Bethany Beach for over 22 years, worries that higher parking fees might deter tourists and hurt local businesses. "I think it's unfair for tourists to have to pay a lump sum of money to park, just to go into a vendor shop and spend money there," Bratten said.
He believes the increase could push visitors to other locations where parking is free, leading to potential economic consequences for Bethany Beach businesses. "Why should you pay for parking to go spend $200 when you can go somewhere else and do the same thing, and pay nothing?" Bratten added.
The proposed budget, including the parking fee hike, will be open to a public hearing scheduled for March 17th.