Charlotte County is marketed as a beach, fishing and boating destination. With tourism numbers declining in the area during peak season, the county suspended parking fees at beaches, parks and boat ramps until further notice.

Community Services Director Tommy Scott asked commissioners April 8 to suspend fees until the beaches and parks are restored. The board unanimously approved the suspension.

In addition, Scott provided an update on hurricane repairs to Englewood Beach. Prior to hurricanes over the last two years, the destination was enjoyed by large numbers of visitors and residents.

While there previously was an average of 1,500 to 1,600 mobile requests per week to reserve parking time at all county locations, the number has fallen to less than 100, and those reserved slots were mainly used for fishing and boating parking areas, Scott said.

Commissioner Chris Constance said tourism tax data suggests numbers were flat for February. March numbers have yet to be announced.

February tourism tax revenue was down 8.7% from the previous year, Constance said.

The total 5% tourism tax was $1.16 million in February, versus $1.27 million in February 2024. The county’s share was $696,000 in February versus $762,000  for February 2024.

Florida welcomed a record-breaking 142.9 million visitors in 2024, a 1.6% increase over 2023, the previous record annual visitation in the state’s history, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced in February.

“It would be interesting to try to figure out why we’re flattening out. Maybe it’s because we’re ground zero,” Commissioner Bill Truex said, referring to hurricanes impacting the county over the last two years.

“There’s not a lot that tourism can ethically and honestly advertise about Charlotte County beaches or the types of things that would bring people in. We’re a tourism-impaired zone,” Constance said.

Chair Joe Tiseo added, “A mountain of sand in the parking lot at the beach doesn’t help.”

Tiseo has been championing eliminating parking fees at the county’s beaches and parks permanently and brought the issue up again at the meeting.

Commissioners will discuss the matter at a future workshop.

For now, parking is free, as is the county’s beach shuttle service that runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It leaves Tringali Park in Englewood at the top of the hour and brings passengers to Chadwick Beach on Manasota Key and departs Chadwick Beach at the bottom of the hour.

Scott said that some of Englewood Beach’s restoration work was completed ahead of schedule.

All of the damaged boardwalks were removed ahead of schedule. The area is ready for the installation of full environmental fencing along the dune line and partial environmental wind screening fencing to be completed within the next two weeks, well under the projected five months the projects were expected to take.

The fencing will prevent vehicles from driving onto the beach. Previously, large sand dunes ran along the waterline at the beach but were washed away from by back-to-back hurricanes in the fall.

The stormwater system has been completed, but more work is slated before the beach and its park and parking lot are restored.

The timeline for new sidewalks and curbing is 90 days to bid, 30 days to start work and 30 to 45 days to complete the work.

Asphalt resurfacing of the drive lane has a timeline of 90 days to bid, 30 days to start work and 15 to 20 days to complete the work.

Signage replacement will take two to three weeks.

Since there is no site lighting, as the electrical system has been destroyed, hours of operation for the work are limited, Scott said.

Scott will give progress updates at upcoming BOCC meetings.