Parking Fines May Increase

Parking citations and fines for other vehicle violations in Lemon Grove may soon increase by as much as $73.

The will consider raising the fees at its second of the new year Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. in the .

The move to increase parking fines has been sweeping across San Diego County, in response to a new state law that raised the amount of the cut the state will be taking out of city fees.

Several other cities in the county are also changing their parking fine schedules to take into account the recent increases in state charges that have been added to each ticket, according to a staff report given to the Lemon Grove council members as part of the meeting's agenda packet.

As part of SB 857, the state recently increased its portion of parking citation fees so that it receives an additional $3.00 per citation. Cities are now required to remit $12.50 per citation to the state to help pay for courthouse and jail construction.

The fine schedule in Lemon Grove has not changed for many years, and some of the fees have not been increased since the city incorporated in 1977, according to the staff report.

The proposed new fee schedule would increase most fines by $3 to $18. If adopted by the council, the new fine for violation of a no-parking sign or a curb marking would rise to $53, instead of the current $35. A missing license plate would bring a fine of $33, up from $30.

The largest fine, however, will continue to be for parking in a marked handicapped space without the proper handicapped license plate or credentials. That fine is currently $330, and under the proposed change would rise to $403.

On Tuesday the council will also receive the city's annual financial report for the Fiscal Year 2009-2010, as well as an update on the second-quarter financial report of the current 2010-2011 Fiscal Year.

The agenda may be found online on the city's website, at ci.lemon-grove.ca.us.