A line of nearly 100 people, including some who had been waiting since Tuesday, greeted city officials Friday morning outside the Fasi Municipal Building downtown to apply for Fourth of July camping permits.

Officials said lines were just as long at satellite city halls in Kapolei and Wahiawa. Friday was the first day for campers to apply for permits to spend the July 4 weekend at the city’s 203 campsites in 14 parks around Oahu. However, this might be the last Fourth of July holiday weekend that the city will offer camping permits for free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Toni Robinson, city parks department volunteer, said the fee could cost as much as $10 to $15 a campsite, but would be subject to public hearings before they are enacted.

Joshua Solartorio, who set up his chair and cooler in front of the Fasi Municipal Building on South King Street at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, is against the new online registration procedure.

"That would open it up for everyone on the mainland, in Guam and Micronesia," said Solartorio, who works as a security guard. "Choke people are going to go online, and the city computers could crash. That means we would pay for the site, and we might not get our permit."

Solartorio and his cousins were the first in line. They were waiting to apply for five campsites at Waimanalo Beach Park.

Right behind them were Clever and Richidette Burdette, who applied for two campsites at Hauula Beach Park. They got in line behind Solartorio Wednesday afternoon. The couple said they are willing to pay for a campsite permit and support online registration.

"That means we no longer would have to sleep over," said Clever Burdette, "and have to be relieved by my son."

Solartorio left the area just once, Wednesday night, to shower and was relieved by cousins Kiwini Vaitai, Sosaia Vaitai, Kiana Carvalho and Sunia Vaitai.

Solartorio said his family has been camping at Waimanalo since "we were kids."

"Now it helps to bring the family together," he said. "I have cousins who come back from college on the mainland, and we all get together."

Under current city park rules, reservations may be made no earlier than two Fridays before the anticipated camping event. An applicant can apply only for one permit that allows a maximum of 10 people and two family-size tents. Camping is not allowed at any city beach park on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Proposed rules could push the registration deadline back by four weeks.

Robinson collected the applications from the Solartorio and Burdette families and others who were in line at 6:30 a.m. Friday. Similar procedures were followed at the Wahiawa and Kapolei satellite city halls.

Park workers at the three locations entered the applications into the city’s main computer. At 8 a.m., when the parks department opened for business, the applications were processed.

"It was worth it," said Solartorio, who had repeated the exercise two weeks before the Memorial Day weekend.

Kiana Carvalho, Solartorio’s cousin, said she opposes the camping fees.

"This is Hawaii," she said. "This is how we live, and we have every right to camp at the beach."