Jacob Riis Beach Wants to Raise Parking Fees

JACOB RIIS PARK, QUEENS — One of Brooklyn's (and the LGBT community's) most popular summer getaway spots along the Rockaway peninsula might be a tad more expensive to access next year, if a proposed $5 to $10 increase in daily parking fees is approved this fall.

Park officials are asking that drivers now pay $15 per day when parking at Jacob Riis Beach, or $30 per "oversized" vehicle (more than 20 feet long).

Under the plan, seasonal parking passes would cost $75 for a regular car and $150 for an oversized car.

Daily parking passes at Riis Beach — officially named The People's Beach at Jacob Riis Park — currently cost $10 per day for regular cars and $20 per day for oversized cars. Seasonal parking passes cost $65 and $135, respectively.

(As has always been the case, seniors and disabled people would still be charged half price after the increase.)

You may not have noticed, but fees for camping out at Jacob Riis Park also went up last year — jumping from $20 to $30 per night.

“We are committed to keeping the park affordable but also want to provide visitors with the best possible experience,” Jen Nersesian, head of the park, said in a press release. “The money from the parking fees will help improve our visitor facilities and services.”

Park officials also made sure to point out that the beach will remain free for the majority of people who use it: people without cars or tents.

Before deciding on whether to pass the parking fee increase, Jacob Riis management is asking for public comment through Monday, Sept. 5, 2016. Here's where to direct your rage: fee_increase@nps.gov.

Lead photo by Padraic