Local
St. Augustine Businesses Fight Expanded Nights of Lights Parking Restrictions
More than a dozen St. Augustine businesses are pushing back against newly expanded parking restrictions in the Davis Shores neighborhoods, warning that a $100 fine and lost street parking could devastate their peak-season revenue. Hornski's Brewing Co. has filed a formal demand letter arguing the ordinance violates city code.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. â More than a dozen local businesses are urging city commissioners to reverse expanded parking restrictions in the North and South Davis Shores neighborhoods, saying the new rules cut off a vital lifeline just as the city's busiest tourist season begins.
The St. Augustine City Commission approved the extended restrictions nearly two weeks ago. Under the ordinance, drivers parked in designated areas could face a $100 fine as part of the city's effort to ease traffic congestion ahead of the annual Nights of Lights celebration, which begins Nov. 15.
Business owners along Anastasia Boulevard say the changes eliminate accessible street parking along the northern corridor of the boulevard â a stretch frequently used by visitors heading to the holiday light display. Merchants argue they depend on that foot and car traffic to survive their slowest season of the year.
Hornski's Brewing Co. is leading the charge. On Wednesday, the brewery filed a formal demand letter with the city, contending that the expanded restrictions directly violate municipal code.
Andrew Horn, the brewery's owner, said the loss of street parking poses an existential threat to nearby businesses. "If people can't get to our business by car on the entry corridors, then we are in big trouble," Horn said.
Horn noted that businesses along San Marco Avenue weathered identical restrictions last year and suffered a substantial drop in revenue. He warned that if the rules remain in place for another year or two, some establishments may not survive.
"We're going to struggle," Horn said. "And I mean, a year of this, two years of this. I don't know how many places will stay in business."
The dispute highlights a familiar tension in St. Augustine: balancing the needs of a growing tourism economy against the livelihoods of the small, independent businesses that give the city its character. For many merchants, Nights of Lights is not just a holiday spectacle but a critical economic engine that carries them through the quieter months.
City officials have framed the parking restrictions as a necessary tool to manage congestion during the event, which draws thousands of visitors annually. But business owners say the plan leaves them with fewer options for customers and no clear alternative.
The demand letter from Hornski's Brewing Co. signals that the fight may escalate beyond public complaints. It remains to be seen whether the city will reconsider the ordinance or face further legal pressure from the business community.
For now, merchants along Anastasia Boulevard are bracing for a season they say could determine whether they stay open at all.