Portland committee backs sending snow‑ban fee increase to council with conditions

City staff told the Sustainability & Transportation Committee they want to amend Chapter 28 (traffic and motor vehicles) to raise the emergency snow‑ban citation from $40 to $175 and to add additional approved overflow parking locations.

Tony Workas, the parking division director, said the change is intended to increase compliance during declared snow bands (10 p.m.–6 a.m.) after the Ocean Gateway impound lot is removed for the Harbor Commons Park project. Under the proposed approach a citation would be $175, but someone who is towed to a private operator’s lot would only pay the $40 citation to the city and pay towing/impound charges directly to the tow company. Workas told the committee that last winter the city collected about $34,000 from 868 tickets and that staff expects ticket counts to fall under a stronger deterrent.

Councilors and residents raised equity concerns about a sharp fine increase and urged stronger communications, a graduated or income‑based discount for eligible households (SNAP/Section 8), and possible partnerships with private garages to expand overnight capacity. Members also requested data on enforcement capacity — tow‑truck availability, police overtime and secure impound lot capacity — since current operations rely on private tow contractors and the city’s impound capacity will decline after Ocean Gateway repurposing.

After public comment (residents and neighborhood representatives voiced mixed views), the committee voted to forward the item to the full City Council with direction to return with more detailed enforcement, legal and equity analysis and with suggested program changes for consideration.