Geneva to increase parking fines
Soon you're likely to get just one warning if you park your car too long or too early in a space in downtown Geneva.
You also could pay more for some parking tickets under a plan the city council will vote on Monday.
The council is revising the parking fines for the first time in at least a dozen years.
Police Cmdr. Brian Maduzia said after a council discussion in May, police met with the director of the chamber of commerce and downtown businessman Mike Simon to review changes for downtown parking time tickets. Parking there is generally restricted to three hours, in part to discourage downtown employees and Metra commuters from using spaces meant for shoppers. And in a large lot near the Metra train station, parking is prohibited before 8:30 a.m. Police say there are some people who routinely violate that rule, including one person whose employer pays her parking tickets. The fines for that range from $2 to $25.
Police suggested giving two warnings, but aldermen disagreed.
"It is kind of a waste of our time having somebody driving around giving all those warnings," Alderman Jim Radecki said.
"My concern is for folks that abuse the parking, and that is me. That (two warnings) does not solve me parking my car for eight hours in a spot that a potential shopper could use to benefit the economics of downtown Geneva," Alderman Tom Simonian said. "I'm just really bothered by the fact that I'm going to get a free pass for abusing the system." He and several other aldermen admitted last month to deliberately breaking the downtown parking rules.
If the fines are approved Monday, a second violation on the timed-parking rule will cost $5; the third through the fifth, $10 apiece; the sixth through the 10th, $20 apiece; 11th through 15th, $25 each; and 16 or more in a year, $40 each time. Drivers start with a clean slate Jan. 1.
The fines for prohibited and improper parking, citywide, would go up from the current $10 to $25. Fines will stay $35 for snow route emergency parking; $30 for snow ban parking on secondary streets and $250 for specialized parking privilege and handicapped parking.
Improper parking includes parking with the left wheels against the curb (except on a one-way street), parking outside or over painted lines on streets and in lots, or parking in alleys in such a way that other traffic can't pass.