BETHANY BEACH, DE - The Town of Bethany Beach is considering a proposed fiscal 2026 budget which includes increases to parking fees and water use fees.
Bethany Beach officials say the Budget and Finance Committee has recommended that Town Council adopt the budget, sending it to a public hearing on March 17.
The proposal includes a revenue budget of $15,238,000, up 10.9% over the previous year. The Town says much of that larger budget would be enabled by an increase in parking fees.
Fiscal Year 2026 would see hourly parking fees raised from $3 to $4 under the proposed budget - a 33% increase. That hike would also increase the costs of daily parking permits, parking tickets, and shuttle bus permits by about the same percentage, according to town officials.
“The increase to parking fees is needed so that summer season revenues pay for the cost of summer operations,” a public announcement on the proposed budget reads on Bethany Beach’s website. “The cost of hiring and retaining our summer staff has grown substantially over recent years as we compete with other towns for a limited number of workers. Costs to provide entertainment, safety precautions, and beautification have also increased.”
The Town goes on to say the increases would allow summer services paid for by visitors and renters instead of the residents. The higher fees would contribute $1,139,000 to the revenue budget, according to Bethany Beach officials.
Also included in the proposed budget is a jump in water use fees to add $288,000 to the town’s Water Fund. Bethany Beach says the per gallon fees have not been updated in a decade, and that raising them would help maintain the Water department over the next five years. Property owners could expect to see bills increase by less than $100 per year with the new rates, officials say.
For a full breakdown of proposed fees and overview of the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, you can visit the Town of Bethany Beach website here. The full proposed budget can be found here.
The proposed budget would be in effect from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. After the public hearing on Monday, March 17, the Town Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget on Friday, March 21.