City Commission to vote on changing parking ticket fines in Downtown

1/9/2017

During a recent Winter Haven Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board meeting, the downtown parking ticket fines for those who park in designated spaces for longer than the 2-hour limit (overtime parking violations) were discussed, and it was recommended that the parking ticket fines for a first violation be increased.

All parking (save for a handful of reserved spaces) is free in downtown Winter Haven. The fee kicks in for people who remain in 2-hour only designated spaces for more than 2-hours.

Currently, the parking ticket fine is $10.00 for a first violation. If you receive 4 or more violations in a twelve month period that fine increases to $25.00 for each violation. On January 9, the City Commission heard the first reading of an ordiance to change the parking fee structure. The proposed change increases the intial fine to $25.00 for overtime violations and increased to $35.00 if not paid within ten calendar days.

A survey of surrounding areas was conducted with the following results:

City of Lakeland

$15.00 fine for overtime parking violation

City of Lake Wales

$25.00 for 1st through 4th violation- increases to $50.00 for additional violations.

City of Haines City

$25.00 for overtime parking violations

City of Winter Park

$25.00 if paid within five days and increases to $40.00 if paid after five days.

According to the ordinance, the owner or operator will have until 5:00 p.m. of the fifth business day, following the day the notice has been given, to pay the police department for said violation. After 5:00 p.m. on the fifth business day following the day the notice is given, but no later than ten calendar days, the owner will pay the police department $35.00.

The second reading of the ordinance will be during the commission meeting being held on January 23. If they vote to approve the penalty it will go into affect 30 days after the vote.

If you have a thought on this ordinance change, please contact your City Commissioners directly at:

Mayor Steven Hunnicutt - [email protected]
Mayor Pro Tem Nathaniel Birdsong - [email protected]
Commissioner Pete Chichetto - [email protected]
Commissioner Brad Dantzler - [email protected]
Commissioner William Twyford - [email protected]

7 Comments

Joe Parrish

1/10/2017 12:48:44 pm

How about make all parking free, since there's really no issue with parking in downtown Winter Haven anyways, and stop paying multiple salaries for people to ride around on golf carts all day? :)

Katie Worthington

1/10/2017 12:55:04 pm

Joe, all parking is free downtown besides a very small number of reserved spaces (like 10 or so). The fee is only imposed if you stay in a spot longer than the 2 hours in certain designated spots. This is to ensure that employees who work downtown are sitting in the spots closest to the business all-day, creating an issue for people visiting the businesses throughout the day. I will update the post to clarify this point. Thanks!

Barb

1/10/2017 01:19:11 pm

Actually the majority of the parking around the park is only 2 hour parking. Many of us who work downtown do utilize the free parking garage or the free parking by Bank of America or beside Arabella's restaurant.

However, there some who work in one of the businesses and carry heavy items into and out of the building. It is not reasonable for those days to park blocks away in one of the free parking areas.

1/10/2017 05:29:15 pm

I am not sure which business you are referring to, but perhaps there should be a loading and unloading zone. Contact me directly at the Chamber if you'd like to give more info. Of course if you are just loading or unloading once a day, doing so and moving your car to a free spot would be helpful to the other businesses that have customer come in and out. There is also a discussion happening as to whether 2 hour is enough. I'd be interested to see what people think.

David Carter

1/11/2017 05:14:10 am

On the loading, along 5th Street NW we often have UPS, stock delivery, etc. trucks just park out front for a few minutes to unload. Haven't had any traffic or ticketing issues.

1/11/2017 05:10:10 am

I support the raise. Our office is across from the library and the chamber on Fifth St on the park. About 20 2-hour spaces between us and the library. Often our customers get frustrated circling the block looking for a spot to stop in here!!

While a number of the businesses along our street appropriately use the parking, often a high proportion of the spaces are used by library patrons and the spaces are always full in the afternoons. Wondering if there is sufficient parking at the library, or, if not, why folks don't park in that lot?

A little confusion here.....One of my staff just got ticketed in December and only paid $5? I've gotten busted a couple times over the years, and paid only $5? If they go to $25, I hope they post the $25 on the "2-hour" sign so those library folks don't get shocked.

1/11/2017 05:38:25 am

Dave, you are right. If you pay the $10 violation on the same day it is given it's only $5. So yes, many people just take the risk right now.

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.

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City Commission to vote on changing parking ticket fines in Downtown

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