On December 2, 2024, Beaufort Insider reported that the City of Beaufort had a problem with parking enforcement. Since then, there has not been much public communication about changes, but the City of Beaufort seal has shown up on parking tickets.
A new parking ordinance that has moved to its third and final reading was most recently presented by Assistant City Manager JJ Sauve at the July 8 City Council Meeting. Discussion at the July 8 meeting (1:15:21) focused on time limits in different locations around downtown. Council members wanted to ensure time limits made sense for visitors and employees looking to spend time downtown shopping, working, and enjoying the park.
The new ordinance puts the Chief of Police in charge of parking enforcement but allows for contracting with a private entity and appointing its employees as code enforcement officers (Sec. 8-2015.1.(f). Parking enforcement downtown is already following the guidelines of this new ordinance including prices, time limits, ticket prices, and third party enforcement by Park Beaufort. Prices for parking are $1/hour on main streets and lots, and $.50/hour on side streets.
In November 2024 the South Carolina Attorney General (SCAG) published an opinion stating, “we do not believe a municipality may delegate parking enforcement to a private entity.” The SCAG’s opinion came after third party parking enforcement in Isle of Palms was determined to be in contravention of South Carolina law. The City of Beaufort’s contract with Park Beaufort, a subsidiary of the national corporation Metropolis, fit into the SCAG’s definition of illegal parking enforcement. The SCAG opinion stated parking enforcement “involve(s) the exercise of a municipality’s police powers” and therefore cannot be delegated. The City’s new parking ordinance is legal under the SCAG opinion, but also means that not much will change with parking enforcement in the City of Beaufort.
