The time is almost here. Starting November 1, parking will no longer be paid in some spaces down at the Oceanfront. As peak season comes to an end, News 3 checked how many parking violations were issued this past summer, and the number is up compared to last year.
It was not a beautiful day at the Oceanfront on Wednesday, but it’s usually a popular place to relax — unless you receive a $20 parking ticket.
Zach Heim, a local resident, shared his experience: "I tried to explain, 'Hey, I was only here for a minute,' and she just said, 'Too bad, too sad.'"
Heim, who lives at the Oceanfront with his wife and nine-year-old son, Cash, found that being a local didn’t help him avoid a ticket.
"I just pulled up real quick on my way home to check the waves," Heim said. "I went to check the waves and was out of my truck for maybe five minutes. I saw the parking ticket lady when I came back."
In September, News 3 filed a public records request with the City of Virginia Beach to determine how many parking violations were issued from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
According to the parking system management, the number of tickets issued was more than 6,400 in 2023. However, this past summer, the number topped 10,500. This figure does not include tickets issued by police officers.
Earnest Hobbs, a frequent visitor who comes to fish, thinks the number of tickets is excessive. "Well, I think it’s kind of high. Like I said, I don’t think people should have to pay parking tickets anyway."
Hobbs believes the city should target jaywalking instead. As for the increase in parking tickets at the beach, city officials attribute it to new parking facilities associated with Atlantic Park. Some of the garages are gateless, which may have left drivers confused about how to pay for parking.
That’s why locals take full advantage of free parking at street meters during the off-season.
"It is what it is; life goes on," Hobbs added.
As for parking at the Oceanfront, text messages are sent to inform drivers when their parking is about to expire, which has been helpful.
This is something to keep in mind once paid parking resumes on April 1 in 2026.
For information on parking at the Oceanfront, click here.
