Williamsburg resident questions city’s new digital visitor-parking system, cites privacy and usability concerns

Frederica Tudo told the Williamsburg City Council on Sept. 8 that the city’s move from physical visitor hang tags to a license-plate-based digital visitor-permit system for restricted parking neighborhoods risks privacy, practicality and fairness.

"The city will have a database compiling who visits whom, when, and where," Tudo said in public comment, expressing concern that the system could be vulnerable to hacking or repurposing of data. She said digital registration replaces a simple face-to-face decal process with a time-consuming series of online steps that may be difficult for some residents to manage.

Tudo raised several practical scenarios: an unexpected visitor who might be ticketed before a resident can log in; elderly or incapacitated residents receiving multiple caregivers arriving in different unmarked vehicles; and absentee homeowners who need others to water plants or collect mail. In each case she said the older hang-tag system is more workable.

Tudo also addressed enforcement and revenue implications, saying the new fine structure would increase parking revenue and accusing council members of taking "high-handed action taken without consultation or consideration of the consequences." She asked the council to return the matter to staff and work sessions to find a less intrusive, more user-friendly method for visitor permits.

The council did not take action during the meeting; public comment concluded and council moved to other agenda items.