mark handler
SAWHORSE
City refuses state law on disabled parking
By Scott Rochat Longmont Times-Call
Posted: 07/26/2011 11:52:20 PM MDT
http://www.timescall.com/news/longmont-local-news/ci_18556915
LONGMONT -- A state law that would have set a minimum $350 handicapped parking fine was rejected Tuesday by the City Council.
The area falls under the city's home-rule authority. Several council members said they didn't care for the level of the fine or the law's requirement that a portion of the money be sent to the state, to pay for enforcement and education grants.
"It's hard enough to get our money back from the federal government from our transportation tax," Councilman Gabe Santos said.
City fines are set at $100 for illegally parking in a handicapped space. Last year, 210 valid tickets were issued -- and 44 of them, or one-fifth of the total, had to be sent to collection.
The council also voted to let the city's transportation advisory board study options for toughening the local law, such as by raising the fine slightly, or increasing it for multiple offenses, or even making it a "point" violation against the driver's license, if legally possible.
"You'd get 100 percent compliance," Councilman Alex Sammoury said in proposing the point measure.
"I agree with that," utility billing manager Melva Douglas said, "but I do not know how that would ever happen."
Mayor Bryan Baum said it could be an unsolvable problem -- many violators, he said, could be either from out of town or driving rentals, making the fine uncollectable.
Councilwoman Katie Witt said she just wanted to underline that the behavior was not acceptable.
"Being a jerk is not a handicap," she said.
In other action:
The council reviewed the schedule for flood-control improvements to Left Hand Creek, a project aided by a $3 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Payment is expected to arrive by the end of this month, according to engineering services manager Nick Wolfrum, with construction starting in September and ending in July 2012. About 200 buildings are currently in the flood plain; Wolfrum said the changes should take 172 of the buildings out of that category.
The council voted 6-1 to convey 78 acres of the Sherwood property to the Schlagel family. The city will keep the water rights. The city also put a conservation easement on the property restricting development and will share a conservation easement with Boulder County on an adjacent 213 acres owned by the Schlagels. Baum voted against the measure.
Scott Rochat can be reached at 303-684-5220 or srochat@times-call.com.
By Scott Rochat Longmont Times-Call
Posted: 07/26/2011 11:52:20 PM MDT
http://www.timescall.com/news/longmont-local-news/ci_18556915
LONGMONT -- A state law that would have set a minimum $350 handicapped parking fine was rejected Tuesday by the City Council.
The area falls under the city's home-rule authority. Several council members said they didn't care for the level of the fine or the law's requirement that a portion of the money be sent to the state, to pay for enforcement and education grants.
"It's hard enough to get our money back from the federal government from our transportation tax," Councilman Gabe Santos said.
City fines are set at $100 for illegally parking in a handicapped space. Last year, 210 valid tickets were issued -- and 44 of them, or one-fifth of the total, had to be sent to collection.
The council also voted to let the city's transportation advisory board study options for toughening the local law, such as by raising the fine slightly, or increasing it for multiple offenses, or even making it a "point" violation against the driver's license, if legally possible.
"You'd get 100 percent compliance," Councilman Alex Sammoury said in proposing the point measure.
"I agree with that," utility billing manager Melva Douglas said, "but I do not know how that would ever happen."
Mayor Bryan Baum said it could be an unsolvable problem -- many violators, he said, could be either from out of town or driving rentals, making the fine uncollectable.
Councilwoman Katie Witt said she just wanted to underline that the behavior was not acceptable.
"Being a jerk is not a handicap," she said.
In other action:
The council reviewed the schedule for flood-control improvements to Left Hand Creek, a project aided by a $3 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Payment is expected to arrive by the end of this month, according to engineering services manager Nick Wolfrum, with construction starting in September and ending in July 2012. About 200 buildings are currently in the flood plain; Wolfrum said the changes should take 172 of the buildings out of that category.
The council voted 6-1 to convey 78 acres of the Sherwood property to the Schlagel family. The city will keep the water rights. The city also put a conservation easement on the property restricting development and will share a conservation easement with Boulder County on an adjacent 213 acres owned by the Schlagels. Baum voted against the measure.
Scott Rochat can be reached at 303-684-5220 or srochat@times-call.com.