Oak Island Town Council approves paid parking

Town council voted 4 to 1 on Tuesday night to approve a paid parking contract with Otto Connect. 

OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — Oak Island is the latest beach town to move towards paid parking.

Town council voted 4 to 1 on Tuesday night to approve a paid parking contract with Otto Connect.

The town’s Communication Manager, Michael Emory, says the town council has discussed the issue of paid parking for some time.

“The topic itself is one that has come up throughout the years every so often, but in its current iteration, since about the late summer of 2022, that’s when it first started to gain traction.”

The parking rates will be $5 per hour, $20 per day, $80 per week, or $175 for the year.

Emory says the decision to move to paid parking might not be popular with some, but the town council believes it is in the best interest of Oak Island.

“You know the growth is, it’s really undeniable, so I think this is something where our town council looked at it and said how can we prepare, how can we make ready now to handle what’s already happened and what we’re looking to see increased in the future.”

Many common questions about the parking rules can be found by clicking here. 

Emory encourages people to ask their own questions if they cannot find the specific information they are looking for.

“And give people the tools that they need to formulate their own questions or any news questions that may not be included, that they can then take to their representatives and ask them you know, what they would like to see.”

Oak Island is looking to implement the new paid parking plan on April 1st.