For years a Saturday at the Fisher Family Pier meant one decision: which beachside lot to try first. Starting this fall, the cheapest way to that stretch of sand begins about two miles inland, at City Hall on West Atlantic Boulevard. The parking there is free, and so is the ride east.
That change comes straight from the City of Pompano Beach. The city lost a large block of beach parking and chose to move people off the beach roads instead of building new spaces near the sand. For anyone who lives here, a pier day now works best when it starts downtown.
What the W lot was, and why it's going away
The lot next to the pier never belonged to the city. Pompano used it for public parking, but the land was privately owned. According to New Pelican reporting from February 2025, the paved and unpaved sections together held about 230 spaces.
The site is set for W Pompano Beach Hotel & Residences, a joint project of Related Group, BH Group and Marriott International. Plans reported at that time called for a 24-story tower with 77 residences and penthouses plus 296 condo-hotel suites. The project's garage was planned to include 145 public spaces at ground level, and the same report said public parking on the site would not be available during construction.
Those are 2025 figures, and the city hasn't announced a final closing date for the lot. Its September 16, 2026 announcement says only that the lot is closing and that the new shuttle is the city's answer. Here's the math to plan around. Roughly 230 spaces leave now, and the planned replacement is 145 public spaces in a building that hasn't opened yet.
Why the answer is a shuttle and not a garage
The city did look at building more parking. In December 2025 the City Commission considered raising beach parking rates by 20%. A proposed resolution would also have raised the resident discount from 20% to 50%. The Sun Sentinel reported on July 2, 2026 that commissioners had held off on any increase until they reach a deal on a new beachside structure, the Oceanside Garage. Commissioner Allison Fournier told the paper that the garage proposal the commission saw "was not the right answer, not the right solution, and not the right cost."
That leaves no new garage on the calendar and a proposed rate increase that commissioners have put off. The beach also keeps getting busier. Fournier tied that demand to "a complete revitalization of the beach area" over the past decade. Pompano Beach Insider put it simply when it covered the launch. Taking cars out of the weekend search for a space "is cheaper than building spaces for them."
How the Fishing Village Shuttle actually works
The shuttle began running on Friday, October 2. It extends the city's free Pompano Circuit service.
- Days and hours: Friday through Sunday and holidays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- How to ride: Request a trip in the Ride Circuit App from the App Store. It comes when called and doesn't run on a fixed schedule.
- Where it goes: Direct trips between the Fisher Family Pier and beach and a home or business inside the new service area, which shows in green on the city's map.
- Fleet: Three vehicles that seat 5, 6 and 15 passengers. Wheelchair-accessible service is available.
- Beach gear: The city says the vehicles carry beach chairs, bags and coolers.
If you live outside the green zone, the city set up two free weekend Park & Ride lots:
- City Hall, 100 W. Atlantic Boulevard
- The Old Town parking lot at NE 2nd Street and NE 2nd Avenue
Park for free, request a Circuit ride, and the shuttle takes you straight to the pier and back to your car.
The green zone is set up to carry people to and from the beach. The city describes it as a connector to the beach and Fishing Village, so it isn't meant for hopping between stops inside the new area. The original blue Circuit zone keeps its own schedule. It covers the beach area, Fishing Village, the pier, Harbor Village and the beach hotels, shops and restaurants. It runs Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. If you live east of the Intracoastal in the blue zone, you already had a free ride to the sand. The new piece covers the inland neighborhoods. TAPinto's June coverage described the pilot area as stretching west of Federal Highway toward Dixie Highway and Old Town.
The city hasn't said how long the shuttle will run or whether weekday service could follow. Questions go to Sandra King, Strategic Communications Administrator, at 954-786-4527.
What driving to the pier costs now
If you still want to drive, the prices below are what the city currently posts. The 2021 rates are still in effect because the proposed increase is on hold.
| Option | Weekday | Weekend | Holiday/Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pier Parking Garage, 3460 NE 3rd St., hourly | $1.80/hr | $2.50/hr | $3.25/hr |
| Pier Parking Garage, flat rate | $10 to $15 | $15 to $20 | $20 to $25 |
| Beachfront meters, Zone 3 | $2.50/hr | $3.25/hr | $4.00/hr |
| Shuttle from City Hall or Old Town lot | Not running | Free | Free |
In the garage, public self-parking is on levels 2 through 4. Level 1 is valet only. The city also lists two lots at the northeast corner of Atlantic Boulevard and A1A, the Beach Parking Lot and a grassy lot. The grassy lot offers a daily flat rate of $10 to $20.
The resident discount changes the comparison more than you might expect. Pompano residents can sign up for 20% off hourly parking through PayByPhone with proof of residency, and the registration renews every year. The discount doesn't apply in the Pier Garage. On a weekend, that brings a $3.25 beachfront meter down to $2.60 an hour, only 10 cents more than the garage's $2.50. If you're registered, the street meter costs nearly the same as the garage. Without the discount, the garage is the better deal by 75 cents an hour.
Permits, hangtags and overnight rules
The city's parking FAQ says resident permits are currently suspended. The city code still lists a $135 annual resident decal for the Oceanside Parking Lot, so call the Parking Office before you count on one. Here's what you can buy right now:
- Monthly hangtags for the Oceanside Lot, between A1A and Riverside Drive, at $75 a month, first come, first served
- Pier Garage monthly parking at $100 for the rooftop or $150 for covered levels 2 through 4, through One Parking at 954-786-5580
Overnight parking on the barrier island is limited to the Oceanside Lot with a monthly hangtag or paying by the hour in the Pier Garage. Resident permits never covered overnight parking.
Making Old Town the first stop
The Park & Ride lots are free, and both sit downtown. Pompano Beach Insider pointed out that this lets you pair a beach afternoon with a stop in Old Town without moving your car twice. That works well because of what's opened near those lots.
The Vault is in a historic bank building. Pompano Beach Insider called it recently opened in May 2026, and the city now lists it as an Old Town gathering spot.
26 Degrees Brewing Company has been an Old Town staple since 2015 and has added a kitchen and a patio, according to the city.
GRUB – A Finer Diner, 14 N. Federal Highway, announced an October 7 opening. It plans breakfast, brunch and dinner, with all-day breakfast, coffee and milkshakes. The shuttle starts at 11 a.m., so a late breakfast at GRUB and then a ride east is an easy way to start a Saturday.
At the pier end, the city's own list of Fishing Village spots includes Beach House Pompano, Oceanic, Lucky Fish, Baresco and How You Brewin Coffee Company. The shuttle runs until 10 p.m., so you can stay for dinner by the water and ride back to your car downtown without moving it at any point.
On a Saturday that starts at City Hall, you pay nothing to park and nothing to ride, and you don't have to look for a space on the beach side.
How close you are to the sand matters a lot when you live in Pompano Beach, and a free shuttle zone changes what that means block by block. If you're wondering how the new service area, the W project or the stalled Oceanside Garage could affect what your home is worth, I'm happy to go through it with you. Reach out to Damiana Ponce for a free home valuation with local context. I don't sell houses, I find HOMES.
