Atlanta officials think they finally have come up with a way to get the money they expected out of a contract with the private company that enforces on-street parking: higher fines for violators.
The City Council is scheduled to vote today on ramped-up fines for drivers who overstay their allotted time at meters, and even steeper fines if the original ticket is not paid promptly. The changes could affect hundreds of thousands of residents, suburban commuters and tourists.
Parking tickets would jump to $35 from the current $25. If a ticket is not paid off in 14 days, the fine would become $70. And 45 days after a ticket is issued, the fine would rise to $95.
Duriya Farooqui, the city’s chief operating officer, said Sunday and overnight parking will continue to be free, with no changes in enforcement hours, if the fines are increased.
“The proposed changes to the citation fees only impact motorists who violate city ordinances,” Farooqui said. “The many motorists who abide by the rules and all Atlanta taxpayers should not bear the burden for offenders who don’t follow the rules.
“The citation fee changes restore a revenue stream to the city that funds critical city services for our residents,” Farooqui said.
Judging by the past, jacking up the fines could mean serious cash. About 150,000 Park-Atlanta tickets have gone unpaid since the company started issuing citations in Atlanta in November 2009.
The higher fines would apply only to tickets issued after the ordinance is passed and signed into law.
This proposed fine increase is just the latest twist in Atlanta’s bid to reach a compromise that would secure the $5.5 million annually that the city expected to receive when it signed a contract with ParkAtlanta in 2009. That was before the city yielded to outraged citizens and put limits on ParkAtlanta’s enforcement — a step that an arbitrator later ruled meant the city was entitled to only $1.5 million per year.
Last week, the transportation committee of the City Council voted to recommend the higher fines.
Two City Council members whose districts contain most of the ParkAtlanta meters strongly oppose the higher fines, which could begin hitting residents and visitors within weeks if signed into law.
Alex Wan, who represents Morningside and Virginia-Highland, said he thinks too many parking spaces are not marked clearly or are obscured by trees.
“You may be unfairly penalized,” he said. “We have areas in our district where the signage isn’t clear. I’m not convinced that the city has held up our end of the deal vis-à-vis citizens.”
Kwanza Hall, whose City Council district includes parts of Midtown and downtown, said Park-Atlanta’s enforcement has harmed fledgling restaurants in his district.
“You don’t want to deter new customers,” Hall said. “I’m in favor of parking enforcement, but it’s gotten Draconian. We’re building our budget on the backs of residents.”
There are about 2,500 ParkAtlanta meters in Atlanta, and some areas — including Midtown, downtown, Little Five Points and Virginia-Highland — are blanketed much more thickly than others.
Around-the-clock enforcement was one step that Atlanta officials said could help the city reclaim the full $5.5 million annually from ParkAtlanta. But that idea was shot down earlier this year after residents and business owners protested.
Grant Henry, owner of Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium, warned a council committee that 24-hour enforcement could force him to move his Edgewood Avenue bar outside the city limits.
“For myself, it wouldn’t be worth staying in the city of Atlanta,” Henry said.
It’s unclear whether residents will be placated by the city’s decision not to push for 24-hour enforcement.
Tony Roozen, who owns Stamps Unlimited of Georgia in the Equitable Building downtown, said the city should cut its ties with ParkAtlanta.
“They are the most aggressive bunch of people I have ever seen,” Roozen said. “Why would anybody come downtown to shop if they can go to any [suburban] shopping mall and park for free and not be harassed? It was the worst decision the city ever made in regard to parking.”
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What it means
Fines at thousands of parking meters around Atlanta could get significantly harsher if the City Council approves proposed changes. Initial parking tickets would jump to $35 from the current $25. If a ticket is not paid off in 14 days, fines would hit $70. And 45 days after a ticket is issued, the fine would rise to $95.
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