Many Coral Gables residents play a version of Parking Roulette when looking for on-street parking in downtown. “Do I park and pay the parking meter or skip it and risk a ticket if a parking enforcement officer spots my car?” they often ask themselves. Thanks to the new Resident Discount Parking Pilot Program in downtown Coral Gables, however, residents are less likely to skirt the law while at the same time more prone to visit Gables businesses, according to city officials.

Launched in April and running for three months, the program offers a 25% discount on parking fees at City-operated locations that use the PayByPhone app, including the Minorca Garage. The initiative, Coral Gables Commissioner Melissa Castro is leading, was designed to provide meaningful savings for Coral Gables residents while strengthening ties between the city and its business community.

“This program is about our residents and our businesses joining as one,” said Castro, “It’s a way of putting our residents first, rewarding their loyalty, and simultaneously boosting our local economy.”

To access the discount, residents must complete a one-time registration by submitting proof of Coral Gables residency through the City’s website. Once approved, the discount is automatically applied when using PayByPhone to pay for parking at eligible locations. The city is working to expand PayByPhone access across all municipal garages and surface lots, Castro said.

Ashley Pflueger-Airaghi, chief operating officer of a law firm in the north Ponce district, praised the effort. “When I heard about it, my husband and I were one of the first to sign up the day we could, and told all our employees to do the same,” she said. “This encourages you, gives you a little more incentive to drive to Gables businesses rather than other areas.”

“Any benefit we can have as residents to support Gables businesses is a plus,” she added. “It’s an incentive to go to a local business rather than somewhere outside of the city.”

In only its first two weeks, 750 vehicle tags registered for the program. Those cars have made a total of 1,426 transactions that have benefitted from the 25 percent discount. Castro said that the city doesn’t expect a more than 5 percent impact on parking revenues.

Commissioner Castro emphasized that the program is part of a broader effort to make local governance more responsive. “This is a real example of government listening. Supporting residents and supporting our downtown businesses go hand in hand. This program strengthens both,” she said.

For more information or to register, visit coralgables.com/parking.