An overnight parking policy is sparking frustration among some residents in Doral, while others say it is solving a long-standing problem in residential neighborhoods.
The city now requires drivers to pay for parking in certain residential areas between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., including spaces located directly in front of homes. The move is part of an effort by city leaders to address what they describe as widespread abuse of public parking.
“Take those damn things out of here!” shouted resident John Wilson, referring to the pay-by-phone parking meters installed just steps from his townhouse, where he has lived for a decade.
Wilson said overnight parking was never an issue when he purchased his home. Now, he questions why residents are being charged to park near their own properties.
“Why should we have to pay? That’s what I’m getting at,” he said.
City officials maintain the spaces in question are public, not privately owned, and therefore subject to regulation. Mayor Christi Fraga told CBS News Miami the policy was introduced after complaints from residents struggling to find parking at night.
According to Fraga, a city study conducted in 2019 revealed that some residents in nearby high-rise buildings were avoiding parking fees in their own complexes and instead using free public street parking in residential neighborhoods.
“About six or seven months ago, we started to get requests from residents who couldn’t find parking at night,” Fraga said. “They would drive around for 30 to 40 minutes looking for a space.”
Under the current system, residents must register through a pay-by-phone platform. The city charges $40 per month for overnight parking access. Visitors who park overnight without a permit face a $36 fine.
Not all residents oppose the change. Maria Chavez, who lives in the area, said the new system has made a noticeable difference.
“It’s better to pay for parking because it was a nightmare before,” she said. “Now I can go out at night and still find a spot. Forty dollars a month—I don’t think it’s that bad.”
Still, others like Wilson argue the policy was never disclosed when they moved in. He claims he was led to believe he would always have access to parking near his home.
Mayor Fraga disputes that assertion.
“If a unit owner has guaranteed you a spot on a public road, unfortunately, you were deceived,” she said.
The city says the overnight parking program is here to stay and is not considering changes at this time.
