Title
Parking "Boot" on Private Property (NB)
Explanation
The Public Safety Committee held three meetings to discuss this November 8, 2004 referral from citizen and Goering's Book Store manager Fred Rainbow. His request was to allow private property booting for the parking spaces in front of his store in the 1700 block of NW 1st Avenue. The 11 spaces in the parking lot are frequently used by non-patrons to the business. Although he had previously contracted with a tow service for roam towing, by the time the tow truck arrived, the offender was gone and he would have lost a book store customer, due to the close proximity of competing book stores.
The committee received and discussed survey results from other municipalities provided by city attorney staff. The survey revealed that although cities could create an ordinance allowing booting from private property, it requires the business to contract with a booting company and also requires very similar procedures to that of the current roam towing ordinance, e.g., licenses, insurance, procedures for collection, etc. The committee determined this process would likely not serve the purpose of freeing up the parking space, which is ultimately what Mr. Rainbow was seeking. It would also not ensure compensation from the illegally parked vehicle owner and would be a civil matter between the business and vehicle owner. Although sympathetic to the issue, the Public Safety Committee did not conclude this as a solution. Mr. Rainbow was unable to attend the last two meetings of the committee, however, was advised by letter of the committee's recommendation.
Recommendation
The City Commission 1) receive and accept the Public Safety Committee's report and recommendation to take no action on this referral, and 2) remove this item from the Public Safety Committee's pending referral list.