Elgin to remedy parking snafu after Facebook post
The city of Elgin is planning to remedy a parking spot snafu after people complained on Facebook.
Michael Copeland, executive director of the Elgin Technology Center on Riverside Drive, posted on Wednesday a video titled, "City of Elgin Phishing for Jacksons" on the "What's Happening in Elgin IL?" Facebook page.
Copeland pointed to marked parking spots immediately adjacent to a fire hydrant along Riverside Drive just north of Prairie Street. State law says cars can't park within 15 feet of hydrants, so people who park there have been ticketed by the city.
"It's kind of like false advertising. It's deceiving," Copeland said. "It's obviously a mistake to give people tickets when you're asking them to park there."
The video received at least 143 comments, including pledges to look into the situation by city council members.
Director of Public Services Greg Rokos said Thursday that temporary "no parking" signs will be installed by the hydrant while the city finds a permanent solution. There is another marked parking spot close to a hydrant farther north on Riverside Drive, so the same will happen there, Rokos said.
Long-term, the city either will move the two hydrants - if water crews determine it's a simple enough job - or alter the current parking lines, Rokos said.
Elgin police records show 22 tickets have been written for parking too close to the hydrant by Prairie Street since Riverside Drive reopened in June 2014.
Copeland said he made the video after talking with ETC member James Stubblefield of DeKalb, who got a ticket for parking too close to the hydrant about a month ago.
Stubblefield said he knew he might get a ticket, but also wondered if the city would enforce it, given the clearly marked parking spots. "Technically, by law, I was there within 15 feet - there's no argument about that," he said.
Stubblefield said he paid his $20 fine Wednesday after discussing the situation with city staff members.
"It's cool they are addressing it," he said.