ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA County Board Agenda Item Meeting of February 24, 2018 DATE: February 20, 2018 SUBJECT: Request to authorize advertisement of a public hearing on an ordinance to amend, reenact, and recodify Chapter 14.2 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the Code of Arlington County Virginia to amend Section 7.1 (A), Article I (Motor Vehicle Code), Division 1 (Generally) to increase the fine for exceeding the time limit on parking meters, to be effective on July 1, 2018. C. M. RECOMMENDATION: Authorize advertisement of a public hearing to be held April 5, 2018, to consider amending Chapter 14.2, Section 7.1 (A), Article I, Division 1, of the Arlington County Code to increase the fine for exceeding the time limit on parking meters, to be effective on July 1, 2018, as shown in Attachment I. ISSUES: Should parking ticket fines for exceeding the time limit on parking meters be increased by $5 per infraction? SUMMARY: Under 14.2-7.1 (A) of the Arlington County Code, parking ticket fines are generally $50 per infraction. One notable exception is the $35 fine for exceeding the time limit at parking meters. This type of infraction represents almost half of all tickets written in the County. With limited exceptions, there have been no increases to parking ticket fines for exceeding the time limit at parking meters since 2010. BACKGROUND: The Arlington County Police Department issues tickets for a variety of parking and other nonmoving infractions. Table One on the following page outlines the existing fines for various parking infractions codified in the 14.2-7.1 (A). In FY 2017, 97,585 tickets, including warnings, were issued, generating $4.1 million in revenue. County Manager: ##### County Attorney: ** 24. P. Staff: Sadia Sattar, Police
Table One: Arlington County Parking Ticket Fines, by infraction, FY 2017 Infraction Existing Fine Percentage of Total Tickets Exceeding time limit on meter $ 35 41.38% Failure to display inspection sticker $ 50 10.62% Parking in restricted zones* $ 50 9.53% Parking in a residential restricted zone $ 50 9.11% Obstructing traffic/parking in a no parking zone $ 50 7.36% Failure to display County decal $ 50 5.55% Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant $ 50 1.19% Parking on wrong side of a two-way street $ 50 0.96% Parking in a disabled space $ 50 0.84% Expired registration $ 50 0.57% Parking within 20 feet of a corner $ 50 0.38% Parking in an undesignated space $ 50 0.32% Parking in a zip car space $ 50 0.32% Leaving running vehicle unattended $ 50 0.31% Vehicle abandonment $ 50 0.22% Parking a commercial vehicle in a residential zo $ 50 0.20% Placing vehicle in a street, alley or parkway in order to sell or rent the vehicle $ 50 0.13% Double parking $ 50 0.08% Other nonmoving violation** $ 50 10.93% Total 100% *A $50 fine is levied on unlawful parking on a weather emergency street. ** Other non-moving violations may include bus idling and parking in a fire lane. The fine for bus idling is $50. However, it is not codified in 14.2-7.1 (a) and is capped by State law at $50 per violation. DISCUSSION: Arlington currently has over 5,800 metered parking spaces, including spaces in multi-space metered lots. Almost half of all parking tickets are for individuals exceeding the time limit allowed for these metered parking spaces. The fine for this violation is $35, lower than neighboring jurisdictions and Arlington s other parking violations. Alexandria s parking tickets are generally $40 per infraction, including their fine for exceeding the time limit on a meter. Fines for exceeding the time limit for metered parking in the District of Columbia range from $25 to $50 per violation. Note that Fairfax County does not have metered parking spaces. Increasing the fine for exceeding the time limit allowed for metered parking spaces to $40 will bring Arlington in line with neighboring jurisdictions and will likely increase compliance. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT: A public hearing on this item will be held on April 5, 2018. - 2 -
FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed increase to parking ticket fines for exceeding time limits on meters is projected to generate $236,457 in additional revenue and is included in the County Manager s FY 2019 Proposed Budget. - 3 -
ATTACHMENT I AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 14.2 THE ARLINGTON COUNTY CODE TO INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN THE FINE FOR EXCEEDING THE TIME LIMIT ON A PARKING METER EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2018 BE IT ORDAINED by the County Board of Arlington County, Virginia that Chapter 14.2, Section 14.2-7.1, of the Arlington County Code is amended, reenacted and recodified, effective July 1, 2018, to read in pertinent part, as follows: 14.2-7.1 Fines for Nonmoving Violations * * * ARLINGTON COUNTY CODE Chapter 14.2 MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC ARTICLE I. MOTOR VEHICLE CODE Division 1. Generally Each law enforcement officer or other employee charged with the duty of enforcing violations shall attach to each vehicle whose operator is in violation of 14.2-1, 14.2-2, 14.2-3, 14.2-3.1, 14.2-32, 14.2-33, 14.2-34, 14.2-38, 14.2-38.1, 14.2-40, 14.2-41, 14.2-42, 14.2-43, 14.2-44, 14.2-45, 14.2-85, 14.2-87, 14.2-96 and 14.2-106 of the County Code, a notice to the operator thereof that such vehicle has been parked in violation of one (1) or more of these sections. A. The fines to be paid prior to issuance of a warrant for violation of Arlington County parking ordinances, except as otherwise provided in 14.2-7.1.B, shall be the following: 1. Thirty-five dollars ($35.00) Forty dollars $40.00 for exceeding the time limit on meter ( 14.2-42, 14.2-43, 14.2-44, and 14.2-45).
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that all other provisions of Chapter 14.2 of the Code shall remain as previously enacted.