Plymouth Sets New Parking Violation Fees

While the Plymouth City Commission rejected a plan Monday to establish four different parking "zones" downtown to prevent drivers from skirting established time limits on downtown parking spaces, commissioners unanimously accepted a graduated parking fine system, which would spare first-time violators from paying a fee.

Under the new plan, first-time parking violators will receive a "courtesy ticket" instructing them where they can park for longer periods of time. The ticket carries no fines or legal obligations.

The new fee schedule will take effect when the city receives handheld parking readers, which scan license plates to indicate how long a car has been parked. Currently, a parking ordinance officer makes the rounds downtown, marking a vehicle's tire locations with chalk and manually timing how long a car has remain parked.

The tickets then would increase to $25 for a second offense, $50 for a third offense and $75 for each subsequent offense. Those who are late to pay will face an additional $10 fee, while those who pay within 48 hours will receive a $15 discount on their fine. Handicap parking violations also will increase from $50 to $100 under the plan. Drivers who have previous parking violations will get a fresh start under the new plan.