Holmes Beach is cracking down on parking violators.
At a teleconferenced city commission meeting Nov. 17, commissioners unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance to increase parking fines in Holmes Beach.
Additionally, the commission reached consensus on a request from Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer to use wheel-locking devices on automobiles.
The amended parking ticket ordinance sets a general violation fine of $75, previously $50, and illegal handicapped or Purple Heart parking would be $250, up from $200.
Additionally, the use of fraudulent permit parking decals will result in a $250 fine.
In other business during the work session following the regular meeting, city commissioners considered a wheel-locking device for repeat parking violators who have not paid fines.
Tokajer said the devices already are in use for golf carts. Since those vehicles are not registered, officers cannot ticket violators. An improperly parked golf cart gets the “boot.”
He said that as of Nov. 17 there were about 25 people with multiple unpaid city parking violations. He said the ordinance does not allow the HBPD to take further action until someone has received 10 tickets.
A program notifies an officer if someone has more than one ticket. Tokajer suggested his officers could place the device on a vehicle that has previously been ticketed more than three times. The device would be removed after the fine is paid, Tokajer said.
He also suggested a $10-$25 unlocking fee.
Commissioner Pat Morton said he supported an unlocking fee.
“It takes time to put it on and it takes time to take it off,” he said.
Tokajer agreed to first research similar fees in neighboring cities.
The commission agreed that the measure should be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020, to include people who have already incurred multiple violations.
A public hearing and first reading of the ordinance will be at the next commission meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, with Zoom teleconferencing instructions provided on the meeting agenda, which will be posted to the city website at holmesbeachfl.org.