The town collected $2.237 million as officials begin assessing the effect of higher premium parking rates and a new resident coupon program.

Carrie Jones

Sep 17, 2026

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by the Maine Seacoast Mission.

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BAR HARBOR—Bar Harbor’s parking meters brought in $2.237 million in July and August, 24% more than they did during the same period last year.

The early numbers come just weeks after the town raised the premium parking rate to $6 an hour and began giving residents two free hours of parking each week, but Finance Director Sarah Gilbert cautioned the Town Council on Sept. 15 that, only two months into the fiscal year, it is too early to identify broader trends about various aspects of the town’s finances.

The increase in revenue for parking is linked to the town’s revised parking policy and rates.

“That reflects the August 4 increase to premium parking,” Gilbert said. “Although this is a 24% increase from last year at the same time, this early revenue demonstrates the financial capacity of the program, the newly created rate structure. Once the season ends, finance, the folks in the parking department, as well as the town manager will be evaluating occupancy turnover, resident participation, traffic movement as it relates to the permit and paid parking policy.”

The revenue is projected to be $164,350 more for the current fiscal year than last.

The price increase to $6 in August was approved by the Town Council and applies to premium spots in the downtown area. At the same time as that change to the parking program, the town also began offering parking coupons for Bar Harbor residents that allow them to have two hours of free parking each week.

As of September 15, there were 372 resident parking coupons applied for.

When it was suggested as a policy earlier this summer, town staff were not sure exactly how much parking revenue would be taken away if it gave residents those two hours of free in-town parking each week, but they’d estimated it would be a maximum of $832,000 to cover the loss of revenue needed to create a residential parking program.

“By reinvesting parking revenues into parking facilities, pedestrian infrastructure, bicycle accommodation, traffic management improvements, and other transportation initiatives, the Town can ensure that future infrastructure decisions improve overall mobility while preserving or expanding public parking opportunities,” Town Manager James Smith wrote in the July 2 memo.

The increased revenue to the town via paid parking came though there is now that parking program for residents; Acadia National Park’s visits to date numbers are down 2.2%; an increase in the fare-free Island Explorer ridership; and opening of the Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton, which hosts an Island Explorer spot and 300 free parking spots.

The paid parking plan began with meters in 2017 before transitioning to the current kiosk system.

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OTHER BUDGET UPDATES

“General fund revenues are down a little bit. We’re at 13.2% of budget. Again, the benchmark is 17%. A couple of items um to note is that Fiscal Year 26, the harbor had higher docking fees and I would say that’s due to there were a few larger yachts. I know it’s been a year, but there were a few larger yachts in the harbor last year,” Gilbert explained.

So far, the town has received one payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT). The town had received more last year at this time. PILOTs are voluntary payments from nonprofits or Acadia National Park to the town to help cover the cost to the town. Those entities do not pay property taxes.

Code enforcement office permits are also down $10,000.

“Not a huge amount, but just wanted to note that as well,” Gilbert said.

The mill rate (which is a rate that helps determine the amount of property taxes paid to support the budget of the town) is 10.34, which is an increase of 9 cents from last year and 19 cents less than expected during the budget process.

Acadia National Park’s septic dump revenue was higher this fiscal year.

That’s because this spring the Sand Beach and Cadillac waste water systems had completely failed, according to Keith Johnston of Acadia National Park at an advisory meeting earlier this week.

All summer the park has been pumping and delivering effluent to Bar Harbor at cost to the park. The systems were designed in the 80s and 90s for 2 million visits as opposed to the 4 million today, Johnston said.

Wastewater systems typically have lifespans of 50 years even without increased use, Bar Harbor Public Works Director Bethany Leavitt has previously stated.

Cadillac has holding tanks and a leach field in its system. Sand Beach has two 8,000-gallon tanks and a leach field.

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LINKS TO LEARN MORE

To read the agenda

To watch the meeting

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