Vero Beach To Lease All Airport Parking Lots

City officials are moving closer to implementing paid parking at the Vero Beach Airport.

A majority of the City Council voted on March 10th to relinquish control of the airport’s parking lots and approved a $243,000 change order for the consultant designing the parking system.

During the meeting, the Council considered two options presented by Operations Manager Brandon Dambeck. The first would allow the city to retain control of the existing airport parking areas, Lots A and B, while leasing the undeveloped Lot C to a private operator.

“Option 1 would allow the airport to keep control of prime parking,” Dambeck said. “However, it creates major challenges. The airport would be competing directly with a private operator while keeping the most desirable parking areas. That structure would likely be a deal-breaker because the operator wouldn’t receive the majority of the parking spaces. They would also have to invest millions to build the new lot.”

Dambeck noted that remaining in the parking business would also create operational burdens for the city.

“We would need to hire additional staff for daily management and maintenance,” he said. “And the airport would no longer be able to afford to build the additional employee parking lot and cell phone lot.”

Dambeck then outlined Option 2, which airport staff recommended.

“This option creates more opportunity for a private investor by allowing the operator to capture all potential parking revenue without competition from the airport,” he said. “The lessee would be responsible for insurance, maintenance and upkeep, eliminating operational and staffing burdens for the airport. Leasing the entire parcel would generate about $422,000 in annual revenue with no direct expenses for the airport.”

He added that the plan would also increase overall parking capacity by adding 130 spaces, including 100 for employees and 30 for a new cell phone waiting lot.

“Based on our financial analysis, operational considerations and marketing feasibility, airport staff recommends Option 2,” Dambeck said.

Councilmember John Carroll, who ultimately opposed the proposal, questioned why a third option—having the airport build and operate the parking itself—was not considered.

“That was the direction of Council back in June of 2024,” Carroll said.

Dambeck responded that the airport urgently needs additional parking due to new service from JetBlue and American Airlines in recent months.

“We need parking as quickly as possible,” Dambeck said. “But we also need the funding. Building the entire parking lot ourselves is not financially feasible for the airport. That’s why partnering with a private developer is the best option to get it done quickly.”

Carroll also raised concerns about Envision Parking Partners, a local company interested in managing the airport’s paid parking system.

“I received a summary that Envision Parking first contacted the airport in June 2025,” Carroll said. “Based on my understanding, they don’t have experience operating municipal parking lots. In fact, the company was established Dec. 23, 2025.”

Councilwoman Linda Moore asked whether the company planned to partner with another firm to handle payment systems.

“But isn’t Envision planning to use SafeParc for the actual charging?” Moore asked.

Dambeck said that was corrrect, referring to the Gainesville-based company partnering with Envision.

Envision Parking Partners representative Steve Kovaleski addressed the council, explaining the company’s approach.

“We’ve partnered with SafeParc, and my partner John Mostoller and I are developers,” Kovaleski said. “We’ve developed many parking lots—though not airport parking—and we’ve contracted with what we believe is the premier parking consultant in the country to manage the operation. We’ll build the parking facility as the lessee and invest the $5 million required.”

Moore also asked whether traditional payment kiosks would be included, noting that some users may have difficulty scanning QR codes with their phones. Kovaleski said kiosks are increasingly being phased out.

“The system doesn’t rely on kiosks or toll attendants,” Kovaleski said. “Our proprietary software is linked to the State of Florida, similar to E-Pass. There will be three ways to pay: scanning a barcode through the app, calling a number to pay with a clerk, or receiving a bill in the mail if no payment is made.”

City Manager Monte Falls cautioned that many of the questions were premature.

“Envision Parking Partners is the group we’re currently speaking with, but lease negotiations will only begin once the council decides which direction to go,” Falls said. “Whoever we ultimately lease to will likely be making a $5 million investment based on the consultant’s estimate.”

During public comment, Cary Goldberg of Diversified Aviation said his company is also interested in managing the airport’s parking. Diversified is planning to build a hotel next to the airport and believes any parking changes should be coordinated with broader terminal improvements.

“In 2024, we spoke with staff but didn’t present anything formally,” Goldberg said. “We did submit an unsolicited proposal. Whether our proposal works or not, this is an opportunity to take a more holistic approach.”

The council ultimately voted 4–1 to approve Option 2, with Carroll casting the lone dissenting vote. The council also unanimously approved the consultant change order.

Source: Hometown News