Naperville increasing fines for parking violators
Naperville commuters may be wise to grab some extra singles on their way out the door this morning, especially if they're not used to paying for their daily parking.
Effective today, the minimum fine for parking violations in the city will become $50 with a compromise fine of $25 when the citation is paid within 15 days from the date on which it is issued. The previous fine was $30 with a compromise fine of $15.
The move could generate as much as $150,000 in new revenue, but city officials said the increase is necessary to curb parking scofflaws who don't pay at the train commuter lots and commuters who park all day on side streets.
Officials said some drivers were willing to risk a ticket because the $15 Naperville fine was cheaper than the typical $25 or more daily parking fee in Chicago.
Sgt. John Westlove, who oversees four non-sworn parking enforcement officers stationed at the Route 59 Depot, Fourth Avenue Depot, downtown and at North Central College, said his officers alone have been writing about 1,200 citations a month.
“We hope the new fine levels will encourage people to park where they should and pay what they should,” City Manager Doug Krieger said. “It's certainly meant to be a deterrent, and we hope compliance eventually is a result of the increase.”
The daily fee parking spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. At each train station, the on-street daily fee spaces and the daily fee spaces in the commuter parking lots cost $2 per day; the marked daily fee spaces at the DuPage Children's Museum cost $5 per day.
For fire lane parking violations, the minimum fine will increase to $100 with a compromise fine of $60 when the citation is paid within 15 days. The previous fine was $50 with a compromise fine of $30.
Disability parking violations will remain at $250. In addition, violations related to the Washington Street parking bans that are in effect during the hours of 6 to 8:30 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. will remain at $50. There is no compromise payment in these instances.