Motorists in San Marcos, get ready to dig deeper into your pockets. Starting April 19, the city's parking fines are marching upward, with the local government cracking the whip on violations to alleviate traffic and up the safety ante. In a pushback against parking offenders, fines are getting a serious hike across the board, as reported by the City of San Marcos.
Ignoring the time limits on parking or cozying up too close to a crosswalk will now set drivers back $50 a pop for first-level offenses. And to put the brakes on scofflaws, San Marcos has sweetened the deal: pay up within a fortnight and cut the fine in half. But don't get comfy there – block a driveway or dare to park on a sidewalk, and you'll be forking out a cool $100, City Council resolved earlier this year, placing importance on enforcement measures conceived by the Parking Advisory Board.
It doesn't stop at a mere hundred bucks. Parking Enforcement Coordinator Samantha Deyo laid out the ground rules, saying, "Effective parking enforcement ensures reduced traffic congestion, improved visibility and accessibility, enhanced pedestrian safety, and mitigates the likelihood of accidents while improving overall street safety," Samantha Deyo told the City of San Marcos.
Third-level violations have taken a whopping leap to $250 – think jamming up bicycle lanes or parking those beefy commercial vehicles in sleepy residential blocks. And if you're blasé enough to swipe a spot reserved for those with disabilities, prepare to part with $500. Caught by the long arm of the parking law? You've got options: either pony up online, in person, through mail, or over the phone, and do it quickly to dodge extra fees lurking down the road.
Still, feeling rebellious about that ticket on your windshield? You can throw your hat in the ring and contest it within ten calendar days, but don't bank on slipping up, because mounting legal fees and impounding could be in your cards, should you miss the payment window. It pays – quite literally – to keep those car keys at the ready and an eye on the street signs.
