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City sets $75 cap for passenger-vehicle boot removal; broader booting rules sent back to stakeholders
Summary
After hearing an operator's request to raise the removal fee to $100, the committee approved a $75 maximum removal fee for passenger vehicles and paused consideration of a proposed requirement that private-lot owners use a third-party operator to immobilize vehicles.
An operator and representatives from Premier Parking presented a request to modify Marietta's vehicle-immobilization ordinance. The operator asked to raise the removal fee for private passenger vehicles (under 10,000 lb.) from $50 to $100; staff recommended a cap no higher than $75 to remain consistent with neighboring jurisdictions and the court administrator recommended $75 as a compromise.
Committee discussion covered consumer protections and operational standards proposed by the operator (uniforms/ID, 24/7 contact line, sticker/contact information on the vehicle, and a 60-minute removal response-time guarantee). The operator also proposed a provision that would require private-lot owners to contract with an independent immobilization company rather than allow the property owner/operator to perform booting themselves. Staff expressed legal and practical concerns about that particular requirement and suggested further stakeholder discussion.
The committee approved the $75 cap for passenger-vehicle removal fees and asked staff to pause and convene stakeholders to address the proposal that would force private-lot owners to use a separate boot operator. Staff recommended leaving other consumer-protection elements (ID, contact number, uniform, response-time standard) in draft ordinance language pending stakeholder review.
Next steps
Staff plans stakeholder outreach with property managers, parking operators and legal counsel and will return with refined ordinance language after additional discussion and legal review.
