Imagine a large, potentially free parking lot just one-quarter of a mile from the beach in Onset.

The idea may sound far-fetched, but it could become a reality in the near future thanks to the Community and Economic Development Authority, or CEDA, who will submit a grant application to the state next month.

CEDA has three goals for the grant money: To turn Hines Field into a parking lot, to rehabilitate the Everett School, and to fund select public services.

"It's been in the back of our mind for over a year," said CEDA Director Sal Pina about Hines Field.

The vacant lot across the street from Lopes Playground, Hines Field is used as overflow parking during some of the large summer events in Onset.

Pina said that because the field is located in a flood plain, there isn't much development that could go up aside from a parking lot, and parking is at premium in Onset.

In 2013 the town put parking kiosks at the Onset Pier and at Temple Lot on Union Avenue. Prior to last year, attendants manned the Town Pier lot and collected parking fees and there was no charge to park in the Temple Lot.

This summer, three more parking kiosks were added to the program: Two on Onset Avenue and one at Shell Point. All told, parking kiosks brought it more than $138,000 in net revues this year.

Pina and the CEDA board of directors saw an initial concept design for Hines Field from B&L Companies last week that called for 82 parking spaces, pervious pavement to aid drainage, improved lighting and beautification with a cost estimate of $430,000.

Pina said that the planning is still in its very early stages, and by the time any work were to begin, the cost could be vastly different.

In the coming weeks, Pina will determine how much program income CEDA took in for the year and add that to the $825,000 he anticipates he will receive from the state in order to determine how much money to give each project. Then he'll go to the CEDA board with the grant drafts and they will determine how much they can and are willing to spend on the different initiatives.

The goal of the lot is to provide low cost or free parking in Onset. The plan will be reviewed by the Board of Selectmen, Conservation Commission, Planning Board, Municipal Maintenance  and any other appropriate town officials before any work is done.

The other two initiatives CEDA is attempting to fund are the rehabilitation of the Everett School, which was recently given back to the town from the school department, and funding select public services that CEDA gives to annually. In the past, groups like Turning Point and Damien's Food Pantry have applied for and received the funds, among others.

Pina will know how much money CEDA will get from the state in July, and the funds will be released in October. He said he hopes the work could start then and be completed before the summer of 2016.