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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2967 Parking Regulations ORDINANCE NO. JJ1tD1 AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO PARKING REGULATIONS, ALLOWING USE OF IMMOBILIZING DEVICE, AUTHORIZING TOWING, REMOVING DOWNTOWN PARKING LIMITATIONS, UPDATING AND CORRECTING PARKING PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES, AMENDING AMC SECTIONS 11.08.080, 11.28.060, 11.28.080, 11.28.090, AND 11.28.110, AND REPEALING AMC CHAPTER 11.30 AND AMC SECTION 2.28.215. Annotated to show deletions and additions to the code sections being modified. Deletions are bold . and additions are bold underlined. WHEREAS, City processes and procedures concerning parking regulations are in need of clarification; and WHEREAS, the downtown business owners have stated through the 2008 Downtown Task Force that employee parking restrictions are causing them hardship and requested that the City remove these restrictions; and WHEREAS, the City agrees to remove downtown employee parking restrictions in lieu of voluntary parking measures by downtown employers relative to their employees; and WHEREAS, the City would like to authorize the installation of an immobilizing device on vehicles and towing of vehicles in certain circumstances for persons with specified levels of unpaid parking violations, and WHEREAS, the City wishes to provide more process and procedures before resulting to issuance of a warrant in the case of parking violations. THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND DO ORDAIN AS FOllOWS: SECTION 1. Section 2.28.215 [Municipal Judge - Parking Violations] is hereby repealed. SECTION 2. Chapter 11.30 [Downtown Parking District] is hereby repealed. SECTION 3. Section 11.08.080 [Block] is hereby amended to read as follows: 11.08.080 Block A seament of a street bounded by consecutive cro'ss streets or intersectina streets. The 13Rd surrouRded by streets 3Rd other right of ....1(3y other th3n 3n alley, or land which is designated as a block on any recorded subdivision map. Notwithstandina the above. for purposes of Chapter 11.24 a block shall also include the plaza area bounded by and includina. East Main Street. North Main Street. and Winburn Way. SECTION 4. Section 11.24.100 [Collections; Enhanced Penalties; Appeals] is hereby added to read as follows: Page 1 of 7 11.24.100 Collections: Enhanced Penalties: Appeals. The Municipal Judae or City contracted parkina enforcement provider is authorized to assian any and all unpaid parkinCl violations to a collection aaencv or aaencies for collection of the penalty provided for such violations. The penalties for parkinCl violations as provided in the Ashland Municipal Code shall be enhanced in each case when the defendant fails to appear or post bail within the time reQuired bv the citation as follows: A. When the defendant fails to appear or post bail within ten (10) days of the due date thereof. the penalty shall increase by Ten Dollars ($10.00), B. When the defendant fails to appear or post bail within thirty (30) days of the due date thereof. the penalty shall increase by Thirtv Dollars ($30.00), C. When the defendant fails to appear or post bail within fifty (50) days of the due date thereof. the penalty shall increase by Fifty Dollars ($50.00) . A defendant who fails to appear or post bail within the time reQuired bv the parkinQ citation or penalty enhancement waives any obiection. and cannot contest or appeal the initial parkina violation or penalty enhancement previously imposed. Any fines or penalty enhancements that have not been paid to the contracted parkina enforcement provider shall be deemed a debt owed by the defendant to the city. Any person that continues to owe money to the city for more than 50 days under the provisions of this chapter may be submitted to a collection aaency by the contracted parkinCl enforcement provider. Notwithstandina any other remedy provided in this code. includinCl immobilization. towina or warrant. a default iudament may be taken by the Court followina any failure to appear or penalty enhancement and the matter referred to a collection aaencv. 1- 30 DAYS 31-50 DAYS 51 or more da s Ticket cost Ticket cost Ticket cost * This table does not include the multiple ticket penalties under AMC 11.28.110. surcharaes or other fees authorized under this chapter. SECTION 5. Section 11.24.090 [Exemption] is hereby amended to read as follows: 11.24.090 Exemption The provisions of tf.1.is chapter Chapters 11.24 and 11.28 regulating the parking or standing of vehicles shall not apply to a vehicle of a State Aaency, City department or public utility necessarily in use for construction or repair work, or to a vehicle with a Special Permit for Delivery. Maintenance or Construction or to a vehicle owned by the United States while in use for the collection, transportation, or delivery of the United States mail. Page 2 of 7 SECTION 6. Section 11.24.095 [Special Permit for Delivery, Maintenance or Construction] is hereby added to read as follows: 11.24.095 Special Permit for Delivery. Maintenance or Construction A. Loadina and unloadinCl of vehicles shall be permitted as provided in the Ashland Municipal Code. B. A Special Permit may be aranted bv the City Administrator. or desianee. when substantial evidence is submitted that demonstrates that an exemption from the two or four hour time limits for parkina is necessary based on the size or complexity of a delivery or for the safe and convenient placement of construction. repair or maintenance vehicles adiacent to a construction. proiect or iob site. C. The Special Permit must be prominently displayed in the vehicle while parked in the restricted parkina area. Vehicles displayinCl the Special Permit shall be exempt from the provisions of Section 11.24 and 11.28 concernina two or four hour parkina limitations. but must abide by all other traffic and parkina reaulations. includinCl loadina zone parkina time limits. SECTION 7. Section 11.28.080 [Violation - Penalties] is hereby amended to read as follows: 11.28.080 Parkina Violation - Prohibition PeRalties A parkina iRfractioR violation is a violation of any parkinCl prohibition. limitation or reaulation of the City of Ashland. A vehicle parked in violation of this chapter shall have a notice of violation attached to the vehicle and the owner or operator of the vehicle shall be subject to the penalties provided in Section 1.08.020 and this chapter, and may be subject to the impounding of such vehicle as provided in Chapter 11.36. A person who commits a parkinCl iRfrastioR violation may not suffer any disability or leaal disadvantaae based upon conviction of a crime. SECTION 8. Section 11.28.110 [Fines for parking infractions and warrants of arrest] is hereby amended to read as follows: 11.28.110 FiRes Penalties for parking iRfractions violations: immobilization. towinCl. and show cause and warrants of arrest ~.. parkiRg infraGtioR is a '/iolatioR of any parking prohibitioR, IimitatioR or regulatioR of the City of ~..shlaRd. It perSOR '::ho commits a parkiRg iRfractioR may not suffer aRY disability or legal disad\l(antage based UpOR convistioR of a Grime, aRd, the peRalty shall be limited to a fiRe Rot to exceed $150. Pro'Jided, h&\\fe'/er, a perSOR '::ho commits three or four parkiRg iRfractioRs iR any caleRdar year shall pay aR additional fiRe of $25 aRd a persoR \\'ho commits fh'e er more parking iRf.ractioRs iR aRY caleRdar year shall pay an additioRal fiRe of $50. IR the trial of a perSOR charged "'/ith a parkiRg iRfraGtioR, Reither Page 3 of 7 the defeRdant Ror the City of AshlaRd shall be eRtitled to trial by jury. If a pers9R cited for a parkiRg iRfractioR fails to appear aRY time fixed by the Court, a 'Narrant for the arrest of such person may be issued. A. Fine. Fines shall include the orioinal ticketed amount as well as any enhanced penalties. In addition. a person who commits three or four parkina violations in any calendar year shall pay an additional fine of $25. and a person who commits five or more parkina violations in any calendar year shall pay an additional fine of $50 for each parkino violation they receive in that year. Multiple Violation Penalties* 3 violations 4 violations 5 or more violations 25.00 25.00 50.00 for each violation *This table does not include the base fines. enhanced penalties. surcharoes. or other fees authorized under this chapter. B. Immobilizer (boot) Installation and lor Towina. (1) When a driver. reaistered owner. or person in charae of a motor vehicle has either (1) five or more outstandina unpaid City of Ashland parkino violations on any number of motor vehicles. or (2) a City of Ashland parkina violation. or any number of such violations. with a total unpaid balance that exceeds $250. reaardless of the number of motor vehicles involved. then any police or parkina enforcement officer. or contracted parkina enforcement provider of the City is authorized. directed and empowered to immobilize such a motor vehicle or vehicles found upon a public street or city off-street parkino lot bv installina on or attachino to the motor vehicle a device desianed to restrict the normal movement of the vehicle. In the alternative. or in addition to immobilization. after 24 hours has elapsed. any police or parkina enforcement officer or contracted parkina enforcement provider of the City is authorized. directed and empowered to order such vehicle towed. by a licensed tow company under contract with the City or the City's contracted parkinCl enforcement service provider. as applicable. (2) For purposes of this section. bail or fine shall be outstandina on a citation when the citation is issued and shall remain outstandina until the bail is posted or the fine is paid. (3) Ten days before immobilizina or towino a vehicle accordinCl to the provisions of this section. the City. or the City's contracted parkinCl enforcement service provider shall place a notice on the vehicle or mail a notice by certified mail. return receipt reauested. to the reaistered owner of such vehicle as shown by the records of the Oreaon Motor Vehicles Division notifvina the owner that the motor vehicle or vehicles may be immobilized andlor towed ten days after Page 4 of 7 the date of mailino the notice herein for failure to pay outstandina parkinCl bail or fines. (4) If the vehicle is so immobilized. the person who installs or attaches the device shall conspicuously affix to the vehicle a written notice on a form approved by the city. advisina the owner. driver. or person in charCle of the vehicle that it has been immobilized pursuant to this section and that release of the vehicle may be obtained upon full payment of the outstandino balance owed to the contracted parkino enforcement service provider. The notice shall also specify that the vehicle is subiect to tow. . (5) In the event the vehicle is towed. the person who orders the tow. shall send by certified mail. return receipt reauested. a notice advisino the reoistered owner of the vehicle that it has been towed pursuant to this section and that release of the vehicle may be obtained upon receipt by the towino company of full payment of the outstandina balance owed. (6) A vehicle towed and impounded pursuant to this section shall be held at the expense of the owner or person entitled to possession of the vehicle. Personnel. eauipment and facilities of private tow companies under contract with the City or the contracted parkina enforcement service provider may be used for the removal and storaae of the vehicle. C. Warnino Letter. Show Cause. and Warrants. (1) Warnino Letter. The Ashland Municipal Court may choose to send a warnino letter by first class mail informino the defendant they have outstandino parkina tickets and that their attendance is necessary at a preliminary hearino before issuina a show cause order and warrant. (2) Show Cause. The Ashland Municipal Court may issue an order that reauires the defendant to appear and show cause why the defendant should not be held in contempt of court. includino contempt for failure to appear as ordered or failure to comply. The show cause order shall be mailed to the defendant by certified mail. return receipt reauested. no less than ten days prior to the appearance date: alternatively service may be made by any other recoClnized method. such as personal service accordinCl to the same timeframe.. (3) Warrant. If the defendant is served and fails to appear at the time specified in the show cause order. the court may issue an arrest warrant for the defendant for the purpose of brinoina the defendant before the court. SECTION 9. Section 11.28.060 [City Parking Lot] is hereby amended to read as follows: 11.28.060 City Parking Lot Page 5 of 7 Parking in the parking lot owned by the City immediately adjacent to the public library, which is on the southwest corner of Gresham Street and East Main Street, is limited to two hours except that employees of the public library may park for a longer period of time iR the spaces preseRtly desigRated as employee parkiRg spaces. SECTION 10. Section 11.28.120 [Parking Fine Surcharge] is hereby added to read as follows: 11.28.120 ParkinCl Fine Surcharae There shall be a surcharoe of four-dollars ($4.00) on all parkino citations issued within the City of Ashland. All revenues received shall be seoreaated and used only for meetina debt service on bonds issued for parkino improvements. leases. andlor future parkina improvements and studies. . SECTION 11. Section 11.24.070 [Moving Vehicle] is hereby amended to read as follows: 11.24.070 Moving vehicle to avoid parkina time limits. The moviRg of a vehicle ...:ithiR a block shall Rot be deemed to exteRd the permissible time for parkiRg it there. No person shall move and re-park a vehicle within the same block. as defined in AMC 11.08.080. in order to avoid a parkina time limit reoulation. The time period shall continue if the vehicle is moved to another parkino space within the same block. except that the time period shall be terminated if such vehicle is moved to a block that does not have a specified time period for parkina. SECTION 12. Severability. The sections, subsections, paragraphs and clauses of this ordinance are severable. The invalidity of one section, subsection, paragraph, or clause shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections, subsections, paragraphs and clauses. SECTION 13. Savinos. Notwithstanding this amendment/repeal, the City ordinances in existence at the time any criminal or civil enforcement actions were commenced, shall remain valid and in full force and effect for purposes of all cases filed or commenced during the times said ordinance(s) or portions thereof were operative. This section simply clarifies the existing situation that nothing in this Ordinance affects the validity of prosecutions commenced and continued under the laws in effect at the time the matters were originally filed. SECTION 14. Codification. Provisions of this Ordinance shall be incorporated in the City Code and the word "ordinance" may be changed to "code" I "article" I "section" I "chapter" or another word, and the sections of this Ordinance may be renumbered, or re-Iettered, provided however that any Whereas clauses and boilerplate provisions (Le. Sections 12-14) need not be codified and the City Recorder is authorized to correct any cross-references and any typographical errors. The foregoing ordinance was first read by title only in accordance with Article X, Page 6 of 7 Section 2(C) of the City Charter on the If, day of ~ 2008, and dul ASSED and ADOPTED this --7- day of , 2008. /4~ Barbara M. Christensen, City Recorder SIGNED and APPROVED this ? day Of~08. Reviewed as to form: ,Lt _ " Page 7 of 7