Parking abusers will get the hook

Wayne Moore - Story:Castanet Jul 10, 2012 / 1:53 pm
It seems some people either don't get it -- or simply don't care. The city is going to hit those people hard -- in the pocketbook. Beginning in the fall, anyone who accumulates more than four overtime parking violations anywhere in the city in a calendar year will have his or her vehicle towed.  The owner of the vehicle will have to pay impound charges, on top of the parking ticket, in order to get the vehicle back. Property Management Manager, Ron Forbes, told City Council Monday the plan could be implemented as early as September. Forbes says staff are currently working on the system and software requirements, adding 'it will also require a little bit more advertising and marketing so they (public) know this is coming. He says there are a number of people who have a number of outstanding parking tickets plus a number of people who just get parking tickets as a part of doing business. "It still doesn't change their behaviour," says Forbes. "This is a city-side practice that any vehicle that receives four parking tickets be notified. At the time they receive a fifth parking ticket they'll be towed." Forbes stresses this is not a fifth unpaid overtime parking ticket, but a fifth ticket period. "This is a significant change from what we've had in the past," says Forbes. "It's one of those issues where it will definitely deter people from overtime parking and will make a change in parking behaviour." This would include metered parking downtown as well as neighbourhood on-street parking where timed parking limits are in effect.