The nearly two-month struggle over enacting a booting ordinance in Hapeville continued Tuesday night and there remains no end in sight.
The council has been grappling with the issue since receiving numerous complaints about a booting operation at the Motel 6 on Virginia Avenue. The parking lot serves the motel and Ruby Tuesday’s restaurant, but many patrons of Spondivitis, a popular nearby seafood restaurant, park at the lot when the restaurant lot is full. When the patrons have left the restaurant to find their vehicle immobilized, tempers have flared and the council gets bombarded with e-mails and messages.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the council discussed implementing a maximum $75 fee for booting a vehicle, but received pushback from a resident and the operator of the parking company that boots the vehicles.
“I just think you’re unfairly imposing this on the booting company,” said resident Susan Bailey.
Bailey said the council should first discuss the ordinance with other companies that boot and compile information on their costs of doing business.
Steven Harper, who operates Georgia Parking Enforcement, said insurance and other costs would not allow him to operate if the city imposed the proposed fee.
“Riverdale has an ordinance that charges $50 for booting. Every one of those cars is towed, because you can’t survive with that charge,” he said.
Another issue of contention concerned Harper’s cash-only policy for unbooting a car. He informed the council that he now had an operational credit card machine, but wanted to know about handling fees charged by the credit card companies.
“That’s just the cost of doing business,” said Mayor Alan Hallman.
Harper also said he would provide video to city officials showing what goes on in the parking lot when he boots a vehicle.
The council agreed to consider his additional information and said the issue would be further discussed at its April 5 meeting.
“We’re just trying to be fair to everybody. I hope when this ordinance is adopted, it still says 2011 and not 2012,” said Hallman.
About the Author
