- July 12, 2025
Revenues from Volusia County's new off-beach paid parking program are looking to be over $4 million less than what the county projected, but officials are still counting the initiative as a success.
During a budget presentation at the County Council's meeting on Tuesday, June 17, County Finance Director Ryan Ossowski said staff had budgeted for $7.1 million of revenue in the 2025 fiscal year from the ParkVolusia program, which was launched on Jan. 1 and charges visitors $20 a day to park in off-beach lots. Residents continue to be able to park for free.
Based on data collected to date, the county now expects revenues to be closer to $2.9 million.
The $7.1 million estimate was high, Ossowski said.
"It was based off of a consultant," he said. "They told us what to budget. So that is where the shortfall comes in. It's still $2.9 million of additional revenue we didn't have last year, but it's not as much as it was estimated to be."
When factoring in the net cost of the fee collection contractor, Ossowski said the county is bringing in nearly a million dollars.
"Under the new contract, there's increased costs because we're putting in equipment for automation, which will lead to all the beach ramps being open," he said. "So it's a higher level of customer service than what we have right now."
Without the off-beach paid parking revenue, the county would have subsidize the beach management fund by $2.8 million. The new revenue lowers the subsidy to $1.8 million.
The subsidy, Ossowski explained, supports the beach as a whole — the cost of lifeguards, capital improvements and operating expenses.
"We're earning an additional million dollars in revenue than we did last year, while giving residents free access to the beach and a new contract with automation that opens all the ramps, all the time," said Benjamin Bartlett, county Public Works director.
