Officers not tolerating parking violators
By Kathryn Reed
With two part-time employees needing to make their job pay for itself, more parking tickets are being issued in South Lake Tahoe.
“Absolutely, we are writing more tickets because we are going from nonexistent to a full blown program,” Police Chief Brian Uhler told Lake Tahoe News.
The city has parking restrictions in various locations that go beyond the rule of not parking on the street during snowy conditions so plows can clear the road. And those “no parking” signs are now the law.
Parking meters are new to South Lake Tahoe and more are coming. Photo/LTN
No warnings are issued. No outreach to residents or businesses in affected areas is part of the program. Enforcement – that’s the new rule of the road, so to speak.
“I can understand how some people feel this is a crackdown because this is something where there wasn’t any (enforcement) before,” Uhler said.
The idea is the employees working 30 hours a week will enforce parking to pay for their jobs and then some. South Tahoe for years has lost money on its parking program – which includes the garage at Heavenly Village. The loss was an anomaly among cities across the country.
Mike Keck is one of those people who has gotten a ticket. Ironically, he and neighbors lobbied for the city to post signs along their streets a few years ago so the overflow from Heavenly Mountain Resort would not be a problem.
“The point is no one can stop by the house without getting a ticket at this point,” Keck said. “It has now made our neighborhood unusable.”
He understands rules are rules, but he doesn’t understand why the city wouldn’t work with residents.
The city is using parking as a revenue source – with $300,000 expected to be collected in 2011-12. Tickets will add to that figure.
Earlier this year parking meters were installed near Heavenly Village. Nearly $14,000 was collected from them from June 24-Sept. 30.
More meters are expected to up in the beach areas – Venice Drive, the Al Tahoe neighborhood. A residential permit program is still being developed. It might need to be expanded to areas with no parking signs like the Heavenly neighborhood.
From June 1-Sept. 30 there were 857 citations issued in the city, with 61 being disabled parking violations and 173 paid parking infractions. Basic parking violations are $55.
I just wish the employees that are driving around issuing tickets were in a vehicle that wasn’t marked “Community Service.” Does that convey the message we want…we’re here to serve you, let us give you a ticket. Why not name the truck as what it is, something like “parking control?”
Congratulations to the City, It’s about time that you started ENFORCING THE SNOW REMOVAL PARKING ORD. This law has been in effect but not enforced for over 25 years. Every street in this town has a sign stating that there is NO PARKING ON CITY STREETS DURING SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS, What has taken so long. The fine used to be $105 dollars and should be $200. It’s about time.
I lived in Canada, where snow is a way of life. The streets had schedules and you knew that before, say 6AM, you could park on one side of the street, and after it was the other,and back again, then the streets could be cleared in a cycle and there was available parking for locals. It was easy to spot and ticket offenders. This was a town with 5 university’s ….the system worked. The signage was no nonsense, and perfectly understandable.
From June 1-Sept. 30 there were 857 citations issued in the city, with 61 being disabled parking violations and 173 paid parking infractions. Congratulations to the Police getting those dumb enough to illegally park in disabled parking spots.
This isn’t about the snow removal parking. June 1- Sept 30th I didn’t see any snowplows. This is about generating money. It isn’t about helping those of us that live here.
on our street there are several houses with at least 5 or more cars crammed onto a two car pad so those cars get put out on the street blocking critical intersection spots and obstruct the view of oncoming cars. The owners just laugh at the near misses, as a matter of fact the owners have a little cabanna set up right on the corner and they have their dog off leash running out in the road as well. I got to laugh the other day when two police cars shower up and told them to move the cars. I hope they got ticketed. Since that day there are no cars blocking the intersection. CACHING!!! for the local city police
What part of the fine, that is paid, does the city get 100%? David, with respect, I see more people using these spaces that don’t seem to need them, we’re they issued any citations?
From the above post it sounds like the program in Canada is a good one.
From personal experience last year in the El Dorado County area of SLT I know the program and caustic attitude is a bad one.
Designed to raise money for the bloated government.
Another reason for me to warn travelers to stay away or at least be aware of the jackbooted thugs from El Dorado county SLT area.
I agree with Lou and David, since I put in my Handicapped parking at the “Y” I have had one handicapped driver use it and scores of supposed handicapped people park there and then literally run over to check out the old cars, or perfectly normal people park there because it is convenient.
I see this abuse of handicapped parking all over town at restaurants, shops, etc. Handicapped parking is there for the truly disabled!
Please ticket these scofflaws and I wish there were penalties for the Doctors who enable the able bodied to obtain handicapped permits.
One of the nice things about this town used to be the abundance and availability of free parking. I agree with everything said about the Handicapped Parking…so much abuse. I also believe there are some limited areas in town that need NO PARKING signs.
BUT….I think in general the city has unnecessarily restricted parking in many areas where free parking should be provided for visitors and for locals. For example, they have posted a million NO PARKING signs to limit available parking in the redevelopment areas so that more people are forced to use the money-losing city garage or face getting a ticket. These parking restrictions have also led to the problems in the Raley’s center.
I agree in principle with John W. Runnels in regards to abusing these designated parking spots. However, his ignorance can’t go unaddressed. Please educate yourself, sir. Not all disabilities are defined by something you can or can’t see.
Just remember that some people who use Handicapped Parking don’t physically appear to be handicapped. Their handicap may be their heart or another internal issue. As long as they have the plate or placard I am under the feeling it is justified.
I still wish they’d use different verbage on the truck that tickets. “Community Service” is not what they are doing.
Excuse me Cheepseats but as one who is physically disabled but does not avail myself of the specialized parking I am completely aware of the parameters of a handicapped permit and of the rampant, blatant abuse by those seeking a convenient parking space.
Good luck tomorrow, Mr. Runnels.
Thanks, dogwoman and all those who are taking the time to vote for their choice tomorrow.