REHOBOTH BEACH, DE — Traffic and parking adjustments have become a focal point of discussions in Rehoboth Beach this winter, aiming to enhance safety and efficiency ahead of the summer season. One draft ordinance on the docket for city commissioners is an increase in fines for incorrect parallel parking, particularly for those parked facing the wrong direction on one-way streets.
Rehoboth Commissioners are set to potentially vote on this matter at Fridays commissioner meeting, with the proposed fine jumping from $15 to $50 for wrong-way parallel parking.
June Embert, the Rehoboth Parking Department Supervisor says their recommendation to the commissioners is grounded in addressing the direct safety risk.
"When a vehicle is leaving after parked in the wrong direction, as it’s leaving the parking space, it is entering into oncoming traffic," said Embert.
While a majority of commissioners support the increase, Mayor Stan Mills expressed reservations,
"They finally get a parking space, and they are as excited as can be, and they lose all their thought and go into town – and here we want to give them a huge fine, which to me is excessive," said Mayor Mills at January 8th's commissioners workshop.
However, Commissioner Toni Sharp disagreed, saying she herself encountered the issue directly after leaving their original discussion.
"There was no parking problem, there was no 'Eureka! I have a spot'. It was folks who decided it was the closest place to park their car – I just burst out laughing in my car and said this is the off-season, it’s behavior that if tolerated can become much more common," said Commissioner Sharp.
Some residents, like Stephen Fallon, said he doesn't see it much -- but if the town is looking to address it, clearer signage is necessary to inform summer visitors about parking regulations.
"If you have a law you want to enforce, you have to tell people, because we’re a resort town – so you have to tell them that the law exists," said Fallon.