City officials plan to plow away more snowbanks this winter — which may leave UI students with illegally parked vehicles no choice but to hop on the toboggan to the impoundment lot.
The Iowa City City Council set a Nov. 2 public hearing on increasing the fine for violating the city’s snow-emergency ordinance from $15 to $50 at its meeting Tuesday night.
The potential fine increase would join a wave of other changes to the city’s parking regulations.
In July, the city enacted a new regulation that requires any vehicle that has racked up $50 worth of tickets to be towed on its next violation. The city also imposed a new tiered ticketing system with tickets escalating from an initial $5 to $25 for ninth and subsequent violations.
But many UI students returned to campus unaware of the changes. Some city officials recommend students weigh their parking options in Iowa City before committing to having a vehicle.
“People can make a decision whether or not they want to bring their cars back after Thanksgiving break,” said Rick Fosse, the city’s public-works director.
The council passed the snow-emergency ordinance in November 2008. Under certain conditions city officials may declare a snow emergency, and that requires residents to move their vehicles off the streets.
UI senior Kristi Wozniak plans to take the risk and keep her car in Iowa City during the wintery season.
“The streets aren’t plowed enough as it as, so I’d rather drive to class than walk in the winter,” she said. Personal transportation is a necessity in order to travel to her job, she said.
Officials said the $15 fines for violating the snow parking rules last winter were not enough of a consequence. Parked cars continued to be “an obstacle, especially after major snow storms,” Fosse said.
However, officials said the increase isn’t meant as an excuse to tow as many cars as possible but as an effort to encourage people to move their vehicles during a snow emergency so the plows can be more efficient.
“The objective of a higher fine is to provide an added incentive for people to get their cars off the street,” Fosse said. “We do not have the towing capacity to get all the cars on all the streets.”
And for some UI students, the tougher penalties might be working.
UI junior Caroline Murphy’s car was towed while she was in class. The ordeal — towing and ticket fines included — cost her roughly $240.
“It wasn’t the greatest day of my life, but I most certainly won’t get a ticket again — at least any time in the near future,” she told the DI on Sept. 21.
If the council approves an increased fine, officials said they will put forth strong efforts to notify the public — something some residents said the city hasn’t done well in the past.
Fosse said they’re planning a mailing list, public service announcements, and on-car fliers during the winter.
UI Student Government City Council liaison Jeff Shipley said he’s hoping to send a mass e-mail to UI students about any changes to parking.