Parking tickets in the Jersey Shore resort town of Stone Harbor skyrocketed 1,600% last month with the debut of a new app payment system that replace kiosks that accepted cash and credit cards.
Stone Harbor Police Chief Thomas J. Schutta told the borough’s council that 564 parking tickets were issued in May - the first month the town began using the ParkMobile app - up from 33 tickets in May 2022. Parking is free in the off season months.
The fine for a parking violation - if paid before the court date - is $34, according to the borough’s website. That could mean at least $19,000 in parking violation fines in May for Stone Harbor.
Motorists pay to park using an account linked to a credit card through the app on their mobile devices. The account requires users to enter the license plate, make and model for vehicles, which is then used to identify vehicles that have paid. Those who don’t want to download the app can pay ParkMobile over the phone by calling 877-727-5304.
Signs are posted around paid parking areas with five-digit codes and time may be purchased and renewed remotely in various increments along with a 30-cent transaction fee for each purchase. The app sends alerts when time is about to expire.
A member of Stone Harbor’s borough council questioned during a recent meeting whether police were “too strict” in writing tickets under the new system. The police chief said “absolutely not,” and pointed out that officers in 2022 were issuing more warnings than tickets.
“This system allows us to more seamlessly enforce (parking laws),” Schutta told the borough council on June 20.
Schutta and other borough officials did not immediately return calls and emails Thursday seeking comment on the new system.
ParkMobile says on its website there are more than 1 million users of the app across the state, including motorists in Jersey City, Hoboken, New Brunswick, Asbury Park, Ocean City, Wildwood and Belmar.
The app can also be used to make parking reservations for concerts and sports events at the Prudential Center in Newark, according to ParkMobile.
“Beyond New Jersey, the app can be used in cities along the Northeast corridor from Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia to New York City,” ParkMobile says on its website.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.