Government

Seaside Park Sets Uniform Hours for Parking Lots, Will Replace Signage

by
Daniel Nee
May 20, 2025

A Seaside Park parking kiosk, March 2024. (Photo: Shorebeat)

Seaside Park officials have set uniform hours for parking at all of its municipal lots – with the exception of the lot near the 13th Avenue boat ramp – in order to bring them into commonality and replace signs that could confuse motorists.

Lots 1 , 2 and 3 – all of which are located on or across the street from the ocean – will close from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. daily. The lots all reopen at 6 a.m. Lot 4 – the boat ramp lot – will close at 12 midnight and reopen at 4 a.m. daily.

The discussion on parking lot hours came after some brief comments at a previous meeting about outdated signage at some of the parking lots. Police Chief Bryan McKay said he asked the department’s supervisor who handles parking and kiosks to conduct a survey of the signage – as well as the borough’s parking ordinance – to determine how to bring all of the information in line. For reasons unknown, Seaside Park’s parking ordinance had changed in 2007 to order all lots closed at midnight regardless of their locations.

“My sergeant who runs the kiosks went out and did a survey, and there are seven or eight signs and none of them look the same, none of the signs reflect the 12-to-6 portion,” said McKay. “He recommended we make it universal, or go to one sign that has the times that are correct.”

The reasoning behind the decision 18 years ago to change the parking ordinance was not clear, though a working theory is that it may have been connected to trouble at the Sawmill bar and restaurant under a previous owner. With those troubles long in the past, the hours will revert to their long-held standard.

“At the department head meeting, nobody even knew there was a 12 a.m. change. It always was that, at 2 a.m., all the lots closed,” said McKay. “Lot 2 and Lot 3 both have four or five different signs and none of them match.”

Many of the parking regulation signs were also fading, McKay said.

The council unanimously set the permanent hours for parking, and clear signage will be installed so drivers are aware of the regulations, officials said.