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Parker tightens event and public‑lot parking rules and clarifies towing process
Summary
The council approved three related ordinances updating Parker’s parking and abandoned-vehicle rules (chapters 7.02, 7.04 and section 10.01.070), including event no-parking enforcement, shortening allowed public-lot parking to 24 hours, and removing an HOA parking grandfather clause, all passed 6-0.
The Parker Town Council approved three ordinances to tighten rules on event parking, shorten the allowable time cars may remain in public lots and remove a grandfathered HOA parking provision, citing event management and small-business access as key goals.
Staff member Kelsey Hall presented the measures, saying the first ordinance would prohibit parking in areas where signs have been posted to restrict parking for an event (for example, Parker Days). Violators could be fined, booted or towed. The ordinance also updates town code language about time-limited parking on town property and removes an outdated allowance for private requests to designate accessible parking (a state responsibility).
The second ordinance shortens the allowed time a vehicle may remain in a town public lot from 48 hours to 24 hours (or as otherwise posted) and clarifies enforcement options: a notice of violation, a municipal summons, or towing at the owner’s expense. The town will be able to authorize tows to a town-designated lot to avoid storage fees for residents when practical; the abandoned-vehicle process will apply when the owner cannot be identified.
Police Chief Jamie said the clarified towing authority will allow the department to recoup towing costs through municipal citations and reduce the staff time spent tracking vehicle owners. “This would allow us to recoup any costs associated with towing that the town has to expend, with the citation that would go to municipal court,” the chief said. Chief Jamie and staff estimated a typical tow in recent contract terms at about $125–$150; Council member Barrington noted weekend towing and impound costs can reach about $400 in practice.
The third ordinance removes subsection (b) of the code that had grandfathered preexisting HOA street-parking restrictions because House Bill 22‑1139 prohibits HOAs from regulating on-street parking on public rights-of-way. Miss Hall said striking the subsection aligns local code with state law and eliminates confusion.
Council members emphasized the enforcement provisions are intended to reduce staff time spent locating vehicle owners during events and to keep downtown parking circulating for businesses. Each ordinance passed unanimously: 5.23.0.10 (event parking), 5.06.48 (abandoned vehicles/24-hour limit) and 5.55.0.1 (public-street parking/HOA grandfathering).
