VCC Approves Increase To Parking Fines

DeLand, FL – Volusia County Council members are giving the go-ahead to an increase in parking fines from $15 to $35 after staff came back with that recommendation. Also approved was the addition of a $10 surcharge, which is allowed by state law, to fund school crossing guard programs. Senior Assistant County Attorney Paolo Soria gave the presentation of staff findings. He said that parking fines were last set up in 2006 and that the County lags behind most cities in the dollar amount for the fines with New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach Shores being the highest. "We took a look at the surrounding communities and the fine amounts run from $15 to $35. The state of Florida being set at $30 along with Daytona Beach and Port Orange and the rest are lower than that."  The staff recommendation for County Council is to set both the overtime parking fines and the fine for any other violation, including parking in a prohibited area, at $35, which is the highest of the local amounts. The recommendation included the $10 surcharge, which will be used to fund school crossing guard programs. During the discussion, District 3 Representative Deb Denys made a motion to increase the fine to $50 but the motion died as there was no second. District 1 Representative Barb Girtman expressed the concern that the fines were countywide, rather than just focused on the beachside, where most of the problems occur. District 4 Representative Heather Post said she empathizes with the property owners who have problems parking in front of their homes or getting in and out of their driveways. She suggested making the cost of a beach pass lower than the parking fines for visitors, that way encouraging them to not park on the streets, That discussion was tabled for another time. At the end of the discussion, County Chair Ed Kelley clarified what the revision to the ordinance entails. "We have the motion before us which will set the fine for over-parking at $35, the fine for handicap parking violation $250, fine for any other violation is $35 and the fine shall increase pursuant to the sub-sections through the section listed." The vote was 6-1 for approval with Heather Post objecting to the motion.