BISHOPVILLE, Md. -- Worcester County officials are considering a parking fee for out-of-state visitors. The goal is to ease congestion, while making some money for the county.
County officials said with Sussex County so close by, they have seen a lot of Delaware license plates at the Shell Mill Landing parking lot. By putting a daily parking fee in place, the hope is to free up spaces for boaters from Maryland. This could also generate money for future improvements to boat ramps throughout the county.
Bonnie Hackendorn, who lives right by the Shell Mill boat ramp, said she does not see too many out-of-state visitors.
"I'll see some Delaware, some Pennsylvania, some [New]Jersey, but not a whole lot it's mostly Maryland," said Hackendorn.
However, if boaters are crossing state lines, Hackendorn does think a parking fee makes sense.
"They should pay something to put a boat in here," said Hackendorn.
This program has not really gotten off the ground yet. How much the parking fee will be, has not be decided. The county does know they will use Park Mobile.
Park Mobile is used in several parking lots in Ocean City, where you can either pay at a machine with change or a credit card, or download an app. Eric Fiori, a Worcester County Commissioner, said they also have an idea of how they will enforce the fee.
"It's going to be a combination of the Sheriff's Department as well as our own Parks and Rec employees," said Fiori.
Worcester County could follow in Delaware's footsteps.
"If we follow Delaware's lead, Delaware goes by where the trailer tag is, if you have a Delaware trailer tag you don't have a fee at the ramp," said Fiori. "If you have an out of state trailer tag, you're required to pay for a boat ramp permit fee with a sticker."
If this pilot program works, Fiori said the county could look into implementing a similar fee at other public boat ramps throughout the county.
A firm timeline for when parking meters, or parking stations, will be up and running is unclear. The goal is to have it done as soon as possible.