West Hollywood Mayor Pro Tempore Lauren Meister has introduced a motion that would examine the city’s fees for parking infractions. If approved, it could reduce the cost of some citations to $36, and more than double the fees for more  serious parking infractions.

Changes may be made to fines incurred at West Hollywood parking meters, similar to the one pictured above. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The West Hollywood City Council on Monday postponed making a decision about the motion until its June 1 meeting, which will give city officials time to vet the proposal with business owners and residents. If the council votes to move forward, procedure calls for a study to examine the impacts of changes to the parking fee structure.

“West Hollywood is a great place to live, work and play, and we do many things well,” Meister said. “Unfortunately, our city has a reputation of being user-unfriendly when it comes to parking. We need to manage our parking as a public resource, rather than a revenue source.”

Approximately $9.5 million in parking citation fees were collected last year in the city. In addition to changing fees, the proposal calls for better signage to alert motorists about regulations, more information about off-street parking garages, and more participation by businesses in employee parking programs. It could also reduce the hours of enforcement at city meters from 8 a.m. to midnight to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in most parts of the city, and create free parking on Sunday.

Fees for offenses such as remaining at expired meters and parking outside of the marked pavement lines could be reduced from $53 to $36. Fines for exceeding the posted time limits on streets could be reduced from $58 to $36.

Fees could jump to $118 for offenses such as parking in red zones or no parking zones. Proposed fees for infractions such as parking in a bicycle lane would increase from $56 to $83. Motorists who park in peak hour traffic lanes could face an increase in fines from $63 to $157.

Meister’s plan could also create new parking infractions, such as leaving an animal in a vehicle under dangerous conditions, which could result in a $157 fine.

West Hollywood Councilman John D’Amico, who co-authored the motion, said the changes could make the city a more attractive destination for visitors.

“I am hoping to change the perception that there is no parking available, parking is expensive and that getting parking tickets is inevitable,” D’Amico said. “What we are hoping to do is clean up some ordinances.”

Genevieve Morrill, president and CEO of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said it is too early to say whether businesses will support the changes, and she is looking forward to determining how the proposal would benefit residents and visitors. The chamber has 525 members, and represents the city’s approximately 2,000 businesses.

“There are a lot of things to study,” Morrill said. “We have to look at the greater good and what’s better for the visitors. We have to do a better job in creating more comprehensive signage and finding places for employees to park.”

Meister’s deputy Scott Olin Schmidt said another goal is to lessen the financial impact on individuals while providing a deterrent for more serious offenders.

“We want to take a look at the price of tickets and make sure the fine reflects the severity of the violation,” Schmidt added. “For example, parking in a bike lane of a crosswalk should have a significantly higher fine than parking a few inches outside of lines or missing a meter by a few minutes.”