INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — For years, Indian Rocks Beach has held the distinction of being the only Pinellas County beach community that didn’t charge for visitor parking, making it a magnet for frugal beachgoers.
But with officials agreeing to implement a paid parking pilot program in 2026, the free ride is set to end soon.
After reigniting discussions of what’s long been a hot button topic on the tiny barrier island last summer, the talks stalled over the last year while the community recovered from the 2024 hurricane season as well as the loss of several key City Hall employees this year, including longtime City Manager Gregg Mims…