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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCRPS-08-169 - Review of Parking FinesI L REPORT 74 Report To: Finance and Corporate Services Committee Date of Meeting: October 20, 2008 Submitted By: Troy Speck, General Manager of Corporate Services Prepared By: Shayne Turner, Director of By-law Enforcement Ward(s) Involved: All Date of Report: October 14, 2008 Report No.: CRPS-08-169 �_-;ubject: REVIEW OF PARKING FINES MM4 MEN 0 That staff be directed to apply to the Minister of the Attorney General for approval of parking fine increases as outlined in Report No. CRPS-08-169. A full scale increase in the City's parking fine structure has not taken place since 1996. Staff have undertaken a review of the current fine structure in relation to their appropriateness as an effective deterrent as well as comparing them to area municipalities. �014 Attached as Appendix A is a chart that outlines the various parking fines that exist within the City, along with the current and proposed fine rates. Also included are the comparable fine amounts from the cities of Cambridge and Waterloo. As indicated, the majority of Kitchener's fines are lower than the other 2 cities. Staff are recommending an across the board increase of $5 for each violation, except for 3 violations where staff are recommending an increase of $10. These 3 violations include the winter overnight parking prohibition from $20 to $30, fire routes from $40 to $50 and private property from $15 to $25. While the parking fine rates have not increased in recent years, the Enforcement Division has seen a 55% increase in operating costs for the Parking Enforcement component of the Division from 2002, which the Division was initially formed, to 2007. It is important to note that a portion of this percentage can be attributed to an increase in service levels with respect to the school zone enforcement program that was initiated in 2004. However, it is clear that operating costs relating to the comparable service levels between 2002 and 2007 have increased. Staff would also like to address the issue of the proposed fine that relates to the "snow event" parking prohibition that was recently approved by Council, pursuant to Report No. CRPS-08- 149. In that report, staff were recommending a fine that is in-line with the existing overnight parking prohibition which is currently $20, and is being proposed to increase to $30. However, subsequent to that report, Council asked staff to consider the issue of relocating vehicles as opposed to seizing them and taking them to a compound, along with the possibility of a 2 tiered fine structure which may help offset some of the costs associated with the towing/relocation activities. Staff are not recommending a form of 2 tiered fine structure. Rather, staff are recommending a fine of $80 for the parking violation, which is higher than what was first referenced in that report. The benefits of a higher fine for this new violation would include: more general deterrence; a level of equality of treatment between all by-law offenders (as opposed to a 2 tier fine structure); and the increased fine revenue may help offset the City's towing costs. Staff advise that this increase in parking fines will not cause any changes with regard to their current enforcement practices. Subject to Council's direction, staff will seek the required set fine approval of the Minister of the Attorney General, with a view to implementing the new fines by January 1, 2009. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Staff anticipate that the revised fine structure will result in an increase in fine revenue of approximately $250,000 annually. It should be noted that, over the past 2 years, the parking fine revenue received has not met the budgeted target, and staff are predicting a shortfall at 2008's year end also. This shortfall is being estimated at $170,000. Thus, the largest portion of the anticipated increase will go towards reconciling that annual shortfall. Staff are recommending a increase in the current parking fine structure, in accordance with the attached Appendix A. Parking fines have not been increased since 1996, while operating costs have increased incrementally each year. Shayne Turner Director of By-law Enforcement Encl. APPENDIX A BY-LAW current Proposed Waterloo Cambridge Parking more than 0.15 metres from curb $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $21.00 parked facing wrong direction $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $21.00 park facing wrong direction on one way street $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $21.00 parked more thanO. 15 metres from curb on oneway st. $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $21.00 failed to park parallel to curb on a one way street $20.00 $25.00 $21.00 parked on the abutting roadway $20.00 $25.00 $21.00 park in more than one space $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $21.00 parked (on/over) side walk $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $21.00 parked on boulevard $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $21.00 parked in a intersection $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $21.00 parked within 3 metres of fire hydrant $20.00 $25.00 $30.00 $51-00 parked within 15 railway track $20.00 $25.00 $30-00 $21.00 parked within 9 metre of intersection $20.00 $25.00 $30-00 $21.00 parked within 1.5 metres of a driveway $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked preventing(ingressto/egress from) driveway $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked obstructing traffic $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked longer than 3 consecutive hours $15-00 $20.00 $30-00 $16-00 parked on highway between 2:30am and 6:00am $20.00 $30-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked for repairing vehicle $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked for washing vehicle $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked for maintaining vehicle $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked for soliciting (goods/services) $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked for buying (goods/services) $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parking for selling (goods/services) $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked within 15 metres of a designated bus stop $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked on or in a bicycle lane $20.00 $25-00 parked on the highway during an emergency $20.00 $25-00 $21.00 parked bus on highway $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $41.00 parked in prohibited area $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked over the time limit $15-00 $20.00 $30-00 $16-00 parked backed in at angle $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $21.00 parked at wrong angle $20.00 $25-00 $21.00 stopped in school bus loading zone $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 $41.00 stopped on median $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 $41.00 stopped adjacent to median $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 $41.00 stopped within 30 metres of bridge $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 $41.00 stopped within 30 metres of tunnel $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 $41.00 stopped within 30 metres of underpass $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 $41.00 stopped in no stopping zone $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 $41.00 stopped in loading zone $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 $41.00 stopped in taxicab stand $40.00 $45-00 $30-00 parked at expired meter $15-00 $20.00 $30-00 parked no wholly in parked space $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $16 parked taxicab in a metered space $20.00 $25-00 parked heavy truck on highway $40.00 $45-00 $50-00 $41.00 parked in permit only parking area without permit $20.00 $25-00 parked vehicle which is unlicensed $20.00 $25-00 $50-00 $50-00 parked vehicle which is leaking fluids $20.00 $25-00 $50-00 $50-00 stopped in a school zone $80-00 $80-00 $80-00 Parked in other than space $20.00 $25-00 $30-00 $16-00 Parked on/over curb $20.00 $25-00 Parked with in a round about $20.00 $25-00 Parked obstructing a corss walk $20.00 $25-00 Parked for loading/unloading $20.00 $25-00 Parked to conduct business $20.00 $25-00 parked in a reserved lane $20.00 $25-00 Parked Transit bus on Highway $20.00 $25-00 Park in construction parking area without a permit $20.00 $25-00 Stopped within a round about $40.00 $45-00 Park vehicle longer than 6.1 m $20.00 $25-00 Park vehicle wider than 2.3 M $20.00 $25.00 Parked a trailer more than 10 meters in length $20.00 $25.00 Displaying vehicle for sale $20.00 $25.00 disabled parking $300.00 $300.00 $300.00 $301.00 fire route $40.00 $50.00 $75.00 $81-00 private property $15-00 $25-00 $25 $21.00 1private property Municipal $15 $25-00 $25 $21 APPENDIX A Snow Event $80.00