Tardy Sparta parkers will now face $5 fine

The Sparta Town Council last week adopted a new parking ordinance for downtown streets.

A three-hour limit will apply from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. until noon Saturdays for areas marked for parking on Main Street (U.S. 21) and Whitehead Street (N.C. 18).

"In essence we've made the parking ordinance a civil penalty," said Town Manager Tom Douglas at council's Aug. 5 meeting. Each violation will be assessed a $5 penalty; if that is not paid within two business days, it will increase to $10. Douglas said Town Attorney William Graham would pursue appropriate action against violators who do not readily pay the assessments.

The adoption followed a public hearing where there were no public comments or participation. Only the town's six elected officials, Douglas, Graham and a news reporter were in attendance.

Council's unanimous vote also followed at least three months of town officials working on and reworking the ordinance. The law as previously on the books had a two-hour limit to on-street parking which applied 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Council discussions indicated, however, that that ordinance had not been consistently enforced.

The new ordinance comes with a commitment of more active and regular enforcement. Douglas said police would likely make rounds one or two days per week, marking tires, checking for violations and placing tickets on violators' automobiles. He said the town plans to have a grace period first. The town will have to either change the signs currently in place from two to three hours, or else order new signs. Douglas said he will send a letter and copies of the ordinance to downtown-area business owners. Some warning tickets may be issued during the grace period.

He noted that the Sparta Revitalization Committee has listed keeping Main Street parking spaces open for customers as a top goal. Graham explained that a fine will be assessed as a civil penalty rather than a criminal offense.

Constitutionally, he said, "You can't use police power to collect revenue."

Under the new ordinance, a violator failing to pay within two days is subject to paying court cost along with the penalty itself. With a $45 court cost, Douglas remarked, the total liability could be $55. "That would get me off the street."

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