Wooster may decriminalize parking tickets

WOOSTER – Most parking tickets could be decriminalized if Wooster City Council passes legislation in September repealing and replacing the criminal parking violations bureau.

If approved, those ticketed for violating Wooster’s parking laws would appear before a civil administration parking violations bureau, not a judge.

This would make fighting parking tickets cheaper and simpler, said Deputy Law Director Kevin Gibbons.

“If someone goes to court and loses, they have to pay the court costs,” Gibbons told Wooster City Council on June 21. “That’s $100 plus.”

If the defendant disagrees with the administration’s decision, he said they can take it to municipal court where it would remain a civil matter.

If passed after the council’s twomonth summer break, the changes will not affect how the Wooster Police Department enforces parking violations, said council member Bob Reynolds.

The Ohio Revised Code gives municipalities the option of moving parking ticket infractions from the courts to civil administration, Reynolds told the council June 21.

“This will not change enforcement; all of the changes come after the tickets are written,” he said.

Police Chief Matt Fisher confirmed this at the meeting.

An amendment was passed to the legislation clarifying that commercial vehicles could not be parked on city streets between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.

A commercial vehicle is defined as “any motor vehicle designed or used to transport persons or property” that meets certain qualifications including weight limits, the number of passengers and a specific class of vehicle, according to Wooster Codified Ordinances W.C.O. 341.01(c).

The legislation proposed to council in June would repeal and replace the criminal parking violations bureau with a civil one.

Once established, all parking violations within the city will be handled by the new body, according to the legislation.

A violations clerk, clerical employees and hearing examiners who can practice law in Ohio or who were in law enforcement will be appointed to the bureau.

Unless a parking violation is specified as a misdemeanor offense, the legislation reads, it will not be considered a criminal offense.

Under the civil parking violations bureau, those issued a ticket must respond or pay the fine within 15 days. They can answer or pay in person at the Wooster Safety Center, Wooster City Hall or by mail or email.

If the fine is paid after fifteen days, a $25 late fee will be added, according to the legislation. If a handicap parking violation is paid late, a $50 fee will be added.

Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com

On Twitter: @Bryce_buyakie