Committee rejects amendment to tie private nonconsensual towing fees to IMPD contract, approves broader BNS fee reforms

The Indianapolis City-County Council Metropolitan and Economic Development Committee on Tuesday debated Proposal 239, a package of changes to the municipal code that updates fee and penalty policies administered by the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS). The committee rejected an amendment to tie private nonconsensual towing rates to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) towing contract but approved a separate set of director-led amendments addressing accelerated plan review, inspections and nonprofit affordable-housing permit fees; Proposal 239 then passed the committee as amended.

The committee considered an amendment from Councilor Michael Paul Hart, District 20, that would have set the maximum nonconsensual towing fee at the same dollar amount as the IMPD contract (stated in the meeting as $180 for a tow and $30 for storage) and provided that any future adjustments to the IMPD tow contract would automatically update the municipal maximum. Hart said, “What makes this time unique is that we are literally here talking about changing fees for zoning and permitting and we’re adjusting fees today.” The committee voted to reject that amendment.

Supporters of the Hart amendment…