The City Council sent the petition back to the subcommittee level.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City Council leadership is heading a petition to significantly increase the city's parking fines.

 

Council President Melissa Mazzeo and Vice President Christopher Connell had their petition to raise all of the parking fines sent back the Rules and Ordinance Committee last week. The plan calls for some significant increases, which gave some city councilors concern.

 

"I have a long list of fines I just thought is excessive," said Councilor at Large Barry Clairmont.

 

The most dramatic increase is for parking in a bus stop, for which the fine proposed is to increase from $15 to $100. 

 

Some of the other large increases include parking meter violations going from a progressive system of zero for first offense to $3 for second, $5 for third and $10 for any after in a year to increases of zero for first offense but $30 after that. Parking on a city road overnight is proposed to double from $25 to $50. Parking in a loading zone or double parking is eyed to increase from $15 to $50. Parking more than a foot from a curb could increase from $10 to $30.

 

Ward 5 Councilor Jonathan Lothrop says the city doesn't have the proper parking situation to start increasing fines. 

 

Recently, the city employed a consultant to craft a new parking management system that calls for new parking meters, the opening of the McKay Street garage, and a pricing that increases by convenience of spots. The City Council approved spending $500,000 on new meters, license plate readers for ticketing system and new signage. But that is only some of the recommendations. 

 

"Before we implement the parking plan, we are hitting people with more fines, I am not in favor of that," Lothrop said.

 

Lothrop had previously said there were concerns among North Street businesses and employees about the increased fees to park downtown, when those should arise. The city lost some parking when a level of the Columbus Street garage was closed for repairs. The recently renovated McKay Street garage is mostly limited to permitted parking while the consultants suggested opening the top floor up for free parking.

 

Ward 1 Councilor Lisa Tully cited no-parking signs in her ward that were eyed for removal but haven't been. With places like that, Tully says these increased parking fines are "hard to enforce." 

 

Connell also suggest increasing the distance on either side of a fire hydrant from the current 5 feet to 10 feet. Within 10 feet of a hydrant, the ticket would be $50, which would be an increase from $25.

 

That, however, would require the removal of even more parking, particularly downtown. Currently, spots were painted 5 feet from the hydrants.

 

"I really doubt that every fire hydrant in Boston has a 10-foot distance from a parking spot. That is something I would just leave alone," said Ward 6 Councilor John Krol.

 

Clairmont said unless the fire chief says there is a "major" problem with 5 feet, that should be left alone. Connell said he understands 10 feet as being a state requirement while Parking Superintendent Frank Anello believes 10 feet is the culmination of 5 feet on each side.

 

"We patrol it and ticket it as 5 feet on either side, so it is 10 feet," Anello said. 

 

The city's building and maintenance department currently patrols the parking. The parking management report calls for the eventual creation of a parking authority.

 

The petition was sent back to the subcommittee level to be fleshed out further.