Gasoline-powered cars parked in EV spots in Mundelein now can be ticketed, towed

Gasoline-fueled cars parked in spots reserved for electric vehicles in village-owned lots in Mundelein could be ticketed or towed under new rules.

Electric vehicles that aren’t actively being charged while parked in those spots face the same penalties.

The rules only apply to charging stations on public property.

Two charging stations are available in a parking lot southwest of where Seymour Avenue crosses Park Street. Two others are in a lot west of Seymour and north of Park. Each station is able to charge up to two cars simultaneously.

Electric vehicles can be charged at village hall, too.

The regulations were prompted by the repeated discovery of cars parked at charging stations that weren’t using them, Deputy Village Administrator Lynne Monroe said in a memo.

The new parking rules, approved without opposition Monday night, are designed to ensure spaces at electric vehicle charges remain available for drivers who need them.

“You need to keep those open,” Trustee Daniel Juarez said Tuesday. “We want people to use them.”

Violators could face fines ranging from $25 to $750, in addition to having their vehicles towed at their expense.

Signs warning of the regulations and possible penalties will be posted at charging stations.

Mayor Robin Meier said it’s important for the village and business owners to accommodate residents and visitors who own electric vehicles and would like to charge them while around town.

Electric vehicle charging stations are becoming more common across the suburbs. In addition to public parking lots and municipal buildings, they can be found at schools, restaurants, supermarkets, car dealerships and many other locations.

Users pay fees based on the amount of electricity provided.

Wheeling is among the other towns that formally restricts parking at municipal charging stations. A warning to scofflaws about possible fines and tows are posted on a lamppost near the charging equipment at village hall.

Vernon Hills has similar restrictions for the charging stations at its village hall; violations at Des Plaines’ city-owned stations can result in $100 fines.

Things aren’t as strict at Lake Zurich’s village hall, where signs request only electric vehicles park at the charging station but don’t mention fines or other penalties, Assistant Village Manager Michael Duebner said.

rlissau@dailyherald.com

Daily Herald staff writer Mick Zawislak contributed to this report.