Doral parking changes spark resident complaints as city defends permit system
Doral residents are expressing frustration over parking fees and new restrictions in several neighborhoods, saying the city’s permit-based system has made it more expensive and less convenient.
City officials say the changes are part of a broader effort to manage growing demand for limited street parking and to prioritize resident parking within each neighborhood.
“Residents asked us to create parking zones, so there would be more parking closer to their homes,” Mayor Christi Fraga told the Miami Herald.
The city previously operated with fewer structured limits in some areas, which contributed to congestion and outside vehicles occupying residential streets.
“Before, there were no parking zones—you could just park anywhere,” Fraga said. “But what was happening was that commercial vehicles and [some] residents were abusing the system and misusing the free parking. To solve that, we implemented parking zones for residents and parking permits for residential uses.”
Fraga added that the changes “created more availability for residents and limited outside abuse, and the use of these spaces by residents in the buildings, who have their own contained parking.”
Under the current structure, the city charges $40 per month for an on-street residential overnight parking permit within a designated zone. But costs can increase significantly outside those limits: a resident parking outside their assigned zone—such as someone living in a nearby apartment building—may be charged $7 per night, while visitors can pay $14 per night, adding up quickly for those without consistent access to permitted spaces. The program is intended to prioritize parking for residents living within each zone and reduce spillover from nearby commercial or high-density areas.
The shift has also introduced new costs for some residents, and the change has become a point of contention for households that previously relied on street parking. With some building parking spaces costing up to $150, many residents opted to park on the street instead.
The system is not new. Doral has been implementing and adjusting parking regulations for several years.
City records show the framework dates back to at least 2021, when then-Mayor Juan Carlos Bermúdez and the City Council approved measures aimed at managing increasing demand for residential parking. Since then, the system has evolved through additional zoning and permit adjustments.
In April 2023, Doral updated its code to include language enforcing valet parking violations in lieu of the standard parking regulations section, strengthening oversight of improper parking practices. In November 2023, the city created a monthly on-street residential permit program for residents, businesses and students, and set a fee of $40 per month for permitted on-street parking in designated areas.
More recently, in December 2025, officials established a more uniform monthly on-street parking system and refined eligibility rules, tying permit access more directly to designated parking zones across the city.
That evolution is still ongoing. Councilwoman Maureen Porras said her office has been working with several residents and the administration to evaluate the current fees.
Porras said her goal is to find a “reasonable solution that prevents residents from paying excessive fees and aligns with fee ranges of other municipalities.”
Still, residents say the rollout has created confusion, particularly around costs, permit limits and enforcement, with some arguing that street parking near their homes has become more restricted than before. The debate highlights a broader challenge for Doral officials as the city continues to balance residential parking demand with limited street capacity in growing neighborhoods. While city leaders say the goal is to prioritize parking for residents and reduce congestion, critics argue the system has effectively turned what was once more accessible street parking into a regulated, fee-based model without enough flexibility for daily needs.
The issue remains a point of tension as enforcement continues and residents adjust to the rules.
