



Owners of four-wheel-drive vehicles will be able to park on the sand this summer now that City Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance permitting parking on Wildwood’s wide, sandy beach.“Other Jersey beach resorts offer parking on the sand,” said Commissioner Pete Byron.“Wildwood’s world-famous beach is the perfect place to offer residents and visitors alike the opportunity to leave their vehicle on the sand while enjoying a day at the beach.”According to Byron, using the beach to park will not only make visiting the city a more enjoyable experience by opening up parking spaces but will also generate revenue.“Communities up and down the coast that offer on-beach parking have seen huge increases in their beach revenue,” said Byron, who oversees Wildwood’s Department of Beach Services. He cited a neighboring shore community in Atlantic County that has offered beach parking for more than five years.“Brigantine started parking on the beach in 2007,” said Byron. “And in 2014 they made more than $600,000. That’s a huge amount of money. For Wildwood taxpayers, $600,000 equals approximately 4 cents in tax savings per $100 of assessed value.”The commissioner added that due to the Wildwood’s beach size, it could accommodate more cars than other beaches, thereby creating an even larger tax savings for property owners. Parking on the Wildwood beach is limited to four-wheel-drive vehicles only.The beach parking lot will be at Baker Avenue and will be an attended lot. Daily parking will cost $10 with special event parking costing $20.“Wildwood has a world-class beach,” the commissioner said. “We are continuing to make strides in offering even more amenities that will not only offer beach goers a world-class experience, but will produce new sources of sustainable income to help offset taxes. "We remain focused on not only making our beach fun but also making it profitable for our taxpayers.”