City council approves several increases; department still
looking at candidates for officer
Hollister City Council members Monday approved the expected
increase to a variety of parking fines, setting the stage for
revived enforcement downtown after about six years without it.
Council members voted 4-0 to increase all parking fines in the
books by $15, with the exception of the penalty for parking in a
handicapped zone, which carries an additional $50 levy. Councilman
Ray Friend was absent.
City council approves several increases; department still looking at candidates for officer
Hollister City Council members Monday approved the expected increase to a variety of parking fines, setting the stage for revived enforcement downtown after about six years without it.
Council members voted 4-0 to increase all parking fines in the books by $15, with the exception of the penalty for parking in a handicapped zone, which carries an additional $50 levy. Councilman Ray Friend was absent.
The new fines will range from $30 for a varying list of minor offenses under the city’s municipal code to $300 for parking in a space designated for disabled persons, according to the city report detailing the new penalties. Those new fines correlate with Hollister officials’ efforts to revive parking enforcement downtown after more than six years without it.
Prompting the idea was concern expressed by the Hollister Downtown Association for some businesses that contended there was inadequate parking in the area due to vehicles being parked for long stretches, especially those of other merchants’ workers.
Jerry Muenzer, who owns the downtown store under the same name, long has been a proponent of reviving parking fines downtown. As current president of the HDA, the store owner has been one of the most outspoken supporters of the council’s recent efforts.
“The downtown association feels that the parking spaces, they need to rotate,” Muenzer said, pointing out his particular concern with employees of businesses in the area using up all the available parking, causing customers to walk farther than otherwise necessary.
Muenzer stressed that the HDA is “not trying to make life hard” for the employees and he noted how Police Chief Jeff Miller has committed to a warning period – once the enforcement begins – of about a month to get drivers acclimated with the laws.
The Hollister Police Department still remains in the recruiting process for the community service officer who will be assigned to the enforcement in the downtown area, so it’s unclear at this point when the program might start again.
Sgt. David Westrick, an HPD spokesman, noted how police were in the “initial phases” of hiring the officer. Along with a new officer for the enforcement, city council members also have agreed to buy a used Jeep Wrangler to have outfitted for the duties. All together, city officials have estimated the program should net a revenue gain after two years, but that depends on whether the frequency of tickets keeps pace with figures from before Hollister suspended the enforcement.
Westrick pointed out that Miller has a plan for the officer, and how to best use his or her services, which will be put in place once the new employee is hired.
Whenever that is, Muenzer said the HDA will be “happy” to work with the chief in helping businesses’ employees find nearby places to park. He also noted that the ordinance actually never went away, that the enforcement merely stopped years ago.
“We really feel the parking spaces should not be tied up all day long by employee parking,” he said.
Fine increases
The following is a list of the revised fine amounts in the city code, which went into effect Wednesday:
– $300: Parking in spaces designated for disabled persons
– $50: Parking within parkways; parking adjacent to schools; parking in areas where stopping, standing or parking is prohibited at all times; parking on narrow streets; and parking within curb markings
– $40: Greasing or repairing vehicles on streets; no parking between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.; parking auxiliary trucks on residential streets other than for loading/unloading; and violating loading zone restrictions
– $30: All other violations under Title 10 of the municipal code
