Committee backs higher fines for fall parking zones and sends ordinance to full council

The Salem City Council Committee on Ordinances voted 4–1 on April 8 to send Ordinance 141 — a proposal to raise fines tied to the city’s fall/temporary parking zones — to the full council with a positive recommendation.

Parking Director David Cucharski explained the measure as an effort to update the traffic code and increase penalties tied to temporary/seasonal enforcement windows. In committee discussion he said the city had issued 1,135 tickets in October of the most recent season and 3,492 tickets for the year across both year-round and seasonal enforcement periods.

Councilors generally supported the change as a way to reflect increased costs during the city’s busy fall period. Councilor Presnooki noted that the Halloween/October crowding pattern has expanded earlier in recent years and that staffing, trash services and public safety expenses rise as well. Councilor King asked whether the city had data on how the fine amount would deter noncompliance; Director Cucharski said staff had reviewed comparable off-street and commercial charges and selected a figure (as discussed in committee) intended to incentivize compliance and shift parking into paid or private stalls.

The committee also discussed the ticket-appeal process; Director Cucharski said residents who can demonstrate current residency or a valid resident permit are typically able to have such tickets rescinded after appeal. The committee approved forwarding the ordinance to the full council on a roll-call vote recorded as 4–1.

Next steps: Ordinance 141 will be considered by the full Salem City Council; staff were asked to clarify language on appeals and to include any available enforcement and revenue data in the full-council packet.