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Paid parking being considered on Siesta Key

Goal is to relieve congestion on beach
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SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — You may have to start paying for parking at several Sarasota County hot-spots. Paid parking will start at St. Armands Circle starting in late January. Spots will cost between fifty-cents and a dollar fifty per hour.

At nearby Siesta Key Beach, Sarasota County Commissioners are also debating public parking for that area. Some are hoping the move will relieve congestion on the beach,

"Not happy about that at all, I think that this is a big draw for the Sarasota area, people love to come to Siesta Key Beach,” said resident Carl Baynes.

Beach shop employee Jon Branthoover worries how paid parking will impact his business.

"People really like the fact that the parking here is free, so taking that away, I don’t know how that will impact business,” said Branthhoover.

Sarasota County Commissioners will debate Siesta Key paid parking in February.

"We've beat back paid parking before, I think we can do it again," said Baynes.