The Hollister Police Department’s
”
warning period
”
for issuing parking tickets downtown has passed, and since Oct.
1 the assigned officer has given out 45 citations, according to the
police chief and numbers provided by the department. Of the 45
citations issued, 15 have been for time-zone violations.
HOLLISTER
The Hollister Police Department’s “warning period” for issuing parking tickets downtown has passed, and since Oct. 1 the assigned officer has given out 45 citations, according to the police chief and numbers provided by the department.
Of the 45 citations issued, 15 have been for time-zone violations. There also had been 240 warnings written by the community services officer for time, handicap and red-zone violations.
Sgt. David Westrick, the department spokesman, said parking enforcement is the “best way” of serving the downtown community’s needs.
“We’re trying to get a feel for how we can best serve that area of the community,” he said. “It takes a lot of effort to where we can serve the interests of the community – it’s quite an undertaking.”
The Hollister Downtown Association earlier this year proposed the reinstated parking fines downtown while representing businesses concerned about fellow shops’ employees using up many of the available spaces in the area.
HDA Executive Director Brenda Weatherly noted Monday how she had not heard about the warning period being over. Once the official word is sent out, Weatherly said the HDA plans to alert members that they can be ticketed from this point on.
She said many businesses’ employees already have adjusted and they are parking in appropriate spaces.
“It shouldn’t be an issue,” she said.
Reynoso called it “community-organized policing.”
“(We’re) looking at the bigger picture and getting a balance of what the people, businesses and city council want. The city council is responding to what the people want.”
For the full story, see the Free Lance on Tuesday.
