Supervisors approve first reading waiver to raise parking fines at Pinecrest ahead of summer season

Tuolumne County supervisors on March 18 waived the first reading and scheduled a second reading (April 8) of an ordinance that raises county parking fines for no‑parking zones, with the stated aim of deterring illegal parking at Pinecrest Lake and other county roads where illegally parked vehicles endanger emergency access.

The board voted unanimously to waive the first reading, which will allow adoption at the April 8 meeting after required posting and formal second reading. County staff said existing county fines for parking violations are far below state highway citation levels and are not deterring repeat violators; the proposed ordinance increases those county fines for designated no‑parking areas the county maintains (for example Pinecrest Lake Road and portions of Dodge Ridge Road), while not altering fines on state highways or inside the City of Sonora.

Sheriff David Vasquez told the board the change is primarily a public‑safety measure: illegally parked vehicles routinely narrow thoroughfares and can block first responders and evacuation routes during incidents. Pinecrest Resort operators and other public commenters supported raising the penalty and greater enforcement.

Supervisors also asked staff to move quickly on signing, striping and designation of fire lanes and to develop a plan for message boards and communications to direct day‑use traffic in busy periods. Board members discussed larger ideas — metered parking, shuttles and multi‑jurisdictional arrangements — but staff said those would require longer planning and legal review. The board directed staff to bring back options for designating fire lanes and improved signage ahead of busy summer weekends.