MELBOURNE, Fla. — The city of Melbourne is working on a parking management plan that could include installing parking meters in areas that previously had free parking.

The potential change comes after downtown Melbourne merchants spoke out to the city about concerns over the lack of customer parking and long-term parkers taking up limited spaces.

Boutique owner Gaye Walden said she believes the move could be worth it if it allows more customers to park closer to her business.

For 16 years, Walden has run Re-Creations Consignments on New Haven Avenue in downtown, and the Space Coast native chose this specific spot on purpose.

“It was always downtown Melbourne," Walden said. "I grew up here. I’m familiar with the area. I knew this was a thriving area."

Walden said she is fortunate to have a blend of locals and tourists coming into her store for the blend of clothing, jewelry and more, but there are only a few parking spaces out front.

And the lack of spaces is what she hears from customers about most.

“On a daily basis, I’m told ‘I drove around four times before I could find a parking spot, I couldn’t find a parking spot,'" she said. "Just this week, I received a text saying, ‘I love to come to downtown Melbourne, but parking is a problem.'"

The lack of available parking is a problem that’s been discussed for nearly 10 years.

In 2016, 60 downtown stakeholders signed a petition asking the city to study more effective parking strategies.

At the time, the Melbourne City Council agreed they did not want to implement a paid parking program.

Now, the city has hired a consultant to come up with a parking management program.

Existing parking numbers, peak demand times, plus hourly rates for meters, and areas which could be utilized as free long-term parking areas will all be a part of the program.

It could go hand in hand with a proposed streetscape project still in its early planning stages.

It’s not known yet if money from parking meters would help pay for the improvements.

Walden said she is hopeful city leaders will come up with a solution soon, especially if it cuts down on long-term parking in downtown.

“If it was a situation where maybe they had to pay, maybe it would alleviate some of that, and the customers could access the businesses easier,” she said.

The city is holding two downtown Melbourne parking management plan meetings Thursday in Council Chambers at City Hall at 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.