Parking fines increase in Des Plaines

Frustrated by scofflaws, the Des Plaines City Council this week significantly increased fines for more than 30 types of parking violations.

The fine for parking in a no-parking zone jumped to $100, from $25. So did the fines for parking in an alley, parking within 25 feet of a crosswalk, parking a semitrailer truck or commercial truck in a residential area, and blocking a driveway or garage, among other violations.

Some penalties are even greater. For example, the fines for parking in a posted tow-away zone or abandoning a car now are $150, up from $63.

The council approved the changes Monday without objection. Seventh Ward Alderman Patsy Smith, who was among three council members who objected to the proposed changes at a meeting in January, was absent.

One fine is increasing but less than originally proposed. Staying too long in a spot where parking is limited to one, two or three hours now will cost the driver $50, up from $13. An earlier version of the proposal called for $100 fines in those cases.

The proposed Franklin-sized penalty angered 5th Ward Alderman Carla Brookman, who noted that many of those time-limited spots are in the downtown area.

“It doesn’t seem (to be) the way to encourage people to shop and eat in Des Plaines,” Brookman said before casing a preliminary vote against the plan in January.

During Monday’s meeting, Police Chief David Anderson recommended setting the fine for such violators between $40 and $60. Third Ward Alderman Sean Oskerka split the difference, proposed $50 and got no arguments from the other aldermen.

The fines for 21 days of consecutive violations are increasing as well. Many will be $115 per violation, up from $40.

The most expensive of the new fines is a $200 charge for parking an antique vehicle overnight on a public street for the third time or more. That fine had been $100.

The full fine schedule can be found at desplaines.org in the digital packet of documents for Monday’s meeting.