Sep 24, 2014 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Waynesburg Borough police had expected to begin enforcing the new parking ordinance, that includes increases in fines for most violations, last Monday, but the new tickets that had to be printed were not ready.

The new tickets were delivered to the department and police and meter agents will begin issuing them Monday, police Chief Rob Toth said Wednesday.

The new parking ordinance, adopted by council in August, increases fines for most parking violations from $5 to $20.

Notice of the impending higher fines have made some regular downtown parkers seek alternatives.

A number of people have come to the borough office to pay for monthly permits to park in the borough’s four permit parking lots, said Mike Simms, borough manager. “There were six to seven spots in the lot across from PNC Bank, as of yesterday, but that’s it, all the others are full,” he said.

Meter parking also is available in the lot across Morris Street from PNC Bank, as well as in the lot behind the county office building.

The fines for parking violations in the borough have not changed since 1986 and some members of council felt the existing fines were insufficient to discourage violations.

The ordinance increases the fine for violating a two-hour parking limit in the unmetered area of the business district from $5 to $20. This violation was of particular concern to some councilmen because of the impact parking spaces being occupied by the same vehicle for much of the day has on local businesses.

Motorists who violate the two-hour limit and are ticketed will be ticketed every two hours if the vehicle is not moved.

The two-hour limit will be enforced from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The ordinance also increases fines for other violations that previously were $5 to $20.

This includes fines for parking more than 12 inches from the curb, failing to park within the marked parking space, parking on a sidewalk, parking facing traffic, parking in a permitted area and parking on streets scheduled for street sweeping.

The fines for parking in a loading zone and in a no-parking zone will be $40, and parking in a handicap zone and in front of a fire hydrant will each be $50.

Meter violations will increase from $5 to $10.

All fines must be paid within five days of the date issued. Failure to pay within five days will result in a doubling of the fine. After 10 days, police will mail a letter to the offender that will also require the payment of an additional $5.48 for invoicing costs.

Failure to pay the fine for a ticket within the time specified by the letter will result in the ticket being turned over to the district judge for prosecution, which will involve additional costs.

Anyone with three unpaid tickets could face having a vehicle booted.