New Port Richey’s downtown continues to draw visitors as revitalization efforts breathe new life into the city’s historic core. But the increased activity has also brought parking challenges that city leaders are working to address.
Police Chief Robert Kochen recently presented City Council members with proposed changes to the city’s parking enforcement regulations.
“It’s been a while since we’ve updated the rules and regulations on parking within our city,” Kochen said Aug. 4. “As most of you know, we are faced with increasing problems in the downtown area with parking and throughout the city.”
Kochen said the department worked with City Attorney Timothy Driscoll to revise parts of the current ordinance to strengthen its ability to enforce parking regulations, ultimately with the goal of gaining greater compliance.
“Parking violations can create public safety issues, whether you’re parking in front of a fire hydrant or in a fire lane or parked blocking an intersection,” Kochen said.
Council members approved the amendment in its first reading, though the ordinance will go before the council again for a second and final reading Sept. 1.
If approved, section 23-60 of the ordinance will include definitions for electric vehicles and compact cars, and section 23-62 will provide up-to-date enforcement standards for the police department.
While the previous ordinance included Class I violations such as parking in no-parking areas and parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, the proposed updates include additional violations like parking in designated bicycle lanes and in spaces designated for compact cars or for the charging of electric vehicles.
The proposed ordinance also provides more detail about the information that will appear on city-issued parking citations, and increases many of the parking violation fines. For example, violators currently pay between $10 for a Class I parking violation, but if the amendment is approved, they will now pay $30. More serious parking violations could face fines of $250 under the proposed changes.
City Manager Debbie Manns told council members that a grace period would allow those who are ticketed to receive warnings before enforcement begins. She also said the city will review striped areas and determine where restriping may be needed to make parking restrictions clearer. Driscoll added that additional signage may be installed to make it clear where parking is not permitted.
The ordinance amendment will also allow the established County Court Citation System to process and conduct hearings for parking ticket violations in New Port Richey, Kochen said.
“This updated ordinance helps us to enforce the parking violation challenges more effectively in the downtown area and throughout the city,” he said.