Council previews towing enforcement zone for Riverside Village; RFP for towing contracts open

City staff described a proposal to create a “high enforcement” towing zone in Riverside Village during the Oct. 13 North Augusta City Council study session, saying the designation would give the city clearer authority to remove vehicles parked illegally in the district.

Assistant City Administrator J.D. McCauley and staff explained that the ordinance (2025-26) would allow the city to post entrance signs and to tow vehicles parked on yellow curbs, on sidewalks, parked longer than permitted, or otherwise in violation of posted restrictions. McCauley said signs would be posted at entries to the zone and that an RFP for towing services is out now and closes at 12 noon on Friday, Oct. 24. He said the contracted towing company would remove vehicles to a tow yard “no more than 5 miles away” to facilitate retrieval.

Staff emphasized the towing zone is one piece of a multilayered approach to Riverside Village parking issues that also includes planned pedestrian-protection work, bollard installations, parking-deck management, reserved spaces for residents, and potential license-plate readers to replace gates. McCauley said the towing contract will be procured through a bid process and that awarding the contract would come to council for consideration after ordinance approval.

Council members asked operational questions about private-property towing rotations, whether parking meters would be affected (staff said eventually yes), whether golf carts would be towed if parked illegally (staff: yes), and how reserved apartment spaces and overnight restrictions would be enforced in parking decks. Staff said they would coordinate identification systems with developers and property owners. The item was presented for council consideration; no formal vote occurred at the study session.