County to enforce beach parking permits

BOLIVAR PENINSULA — Headed to the beaches on Bolivar Peninsula this weekend? You better have a parking permit.

Galveston County is stepping up enforcement of beach parking permits beginning this weekend.

The $10 parking sticker, good for one calendar year, is required to park on peninsula beaches.

County commissioners decided Wednesday to spend $8,000 for a law enforcement officer to patrol the peninsula beaches on weekends and holidays until Labor Day. That officer will search for parking stickers in the windows of vehicles parked along peninsula beaches.

Commissioner Pat Doyle said officers are focusing more on compliance than citations. He said officers will try to avoid writing tickets, instead focusing on urging beach-goers to buy permits.

The officer will also ensure that vendors selling T-shirts and other merchandise on the beach are properly permitted by the county.

Having an extra officer on the beach should also clamp down on some of the reckless driving and other illegal activity, such as bringing glass bottles on the beach, Doyle said.

The county began requiring the parking sticker in January 2007. Last year, the county collected about $150,000 from sticker fees.

“It’s been a huge success,” Doyle said.

He said some of the money has been used to add more trash cans and increase the frequency of beach cleanups.

The permits are part of a plan certified by the Texas General Land Office.

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Need A Sticker?

Parking permits can be purchased from the county parks department in person or by mail to 4102 Main St., La Marque, TX 77568, or from various businesses and vendors on the peninsula.