Galveston wants to better educate beachgoers after ABC13 uncovered a 600% parking ticket increase

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- After 13 Investigates uncovered how many more parking tickets Galveston was writing along the Seawall, city leaders said changes are coming.

Galveston Council discusses ABC13's parking ticket story

Last week, ABC13 reported how many more parking tickets Galveston has issued since it switched to a mail program in June 2024. The city said it became the first in the state to issue curb parking tickets to improve employee safety and improve traffic flow.

SEE ORIGINAL REPORT: Records reveal how many more parking tickets Galveston has issued with its mail program

Eyewitness News obtained data from the municipal court showing that, in the 22 months before the switch, around 6,600 tickets were issued. In the 22 months after the switch, the city issued more than 40,000 tickets.

Figures made their way to City Hall.

"I don't know if anyone saw the Channel 13 story about the parking," Galveston Council Member Alex Porretto asked.

During Thursday's council workshop meeting, members discussed ABC13's reporting. During the discussion, City Marshal Heather Morris provided her own numbers.

She said in 2023, the last full year, they left tickets on windshields. Morris said the city issued 3,200 tickets. In 2025, the first full year they began mailing tickets, she said the number climbed to 25,000. That's a nearly 700% increase.

"If you don't pay to park, chances are extremely high that you're going to get a citation," Morris said.

While council discussed how many tickets are being issued, they didn't hear figures on how many more dollars are being collected as a result of the increase. In 2023, municipal court data show that around $91,000 was collected.

In 2025, it jumped to $535,000. Money that goes into the general fund.

The money the city collects from people who pay to park along the Seawall is used for Seawall-area improvements, city officials said.

In 2025, the marshal said 290,000 people paid to park along the Seawall.

Changes are coming as a result of ABC13's reporting

During Thursday's discussion, the marshal didn't see a problem with the increased tickets.

"The story is really, these are people that aren't paying for parking," Morris said. "So, the 40,000 or the 25,000 number seems like a big number, but this is the city identifying the people who haven't paid for their parking."

There are, though, people who are legally allowed to avoid paying to park and are getting ticketed. City rules allow handicapped individuals to park for free on the Seawall.

The city uses camera technology that scans plates. Two scans, 15 minutes apart; the results were mailed to the registered owner in a ticket.

The technology city leaders said they can't read handicapped placards. This means people who are allowed to park for free are getting ticketed.

The marshal said improvements are coming, but didn't say when. City council also discussed other changes, including adding more signs or having someone issue tickets on a Segway.

"There's no identification. You're going to get a mail-in ticket," Porretto said. "Some people can argue there are too many signs on the Seawall, but there should be public information we should be putting out there."

Ultimately, they decided to start with a social media campaign. Starting next week, city leaders said they'll work to better inform beachgoers about the parking policy.

More beach locations move to mail parking violators

The city isn't the only one mailing violations. The Galveston Park Board announced this month, it's also going to mail a bill to unpaid parkers at Stewart Beach and East Beach.

The Park Board no longer has a parking attendant at the entrance. Instead, beach goers have to pay $15 using a mobile app or pay with cash at the beach shop.

If they fail to pay, the Park Board said a $45 bill will be mailed to the vehicle's registered owner.