New parking by-law system coming to Cambridge
Posted Jul 20, 2023 06:00:14 AM.
Last Updated Jul 20, 2023 12:53:24 PM.
Cambridge residents will soon be paying more for overdue parking tickets this fall.
However, officials say the increased fines come with easier access to fight those tickets.
The Administrative Penalty System (A.P.S) will allow residents to bring by-law infraction challenges to an independent hearing officer at city hall. Previously, residents would have to go through provincial court.
According to John Mattocks, manager of municipal by-law compliance for the City of Cambridge, the new systems will reduce wait times, and be less formal.
The new by-law will also make it easier to issue parking tickets in school zones.
“Officers will be able to take a picture of the offending vehicle that captures the license plate and the signage, and then mail that ticket to them. So our hope is that will improve the safety around school zones as well,” Mattocks notes.
Mattocks adds city staff will work with schools to inform parents and install signage regarding the mail-in system.
The A.P.S., approved by Cambridge council on Tuesday, will include an increase of $41 in late fees for unpaid parking tickets.
Mattocks says the new system will also offer other methods to retrieve late fees.
“If the ticket was issued to a resident or business in Cambridge, we would be able to add the cost of that penalty notice on to their taxes,” Mattocks explained. “So that would allow us to recoup that cost should they ignore the penalty amount.”
He adds the new bylaw will allow the city to hire a collections agency to collect unpaid parking tickets.
Unpaid parking tickets could lead to a $12 M.T.O search fee, a $20 late payment fee, a $20 plate denial fee and a $20 M.T.O surcharge.
Despite similar changes recently approved by councils in both Waterloo and Kitchener, Mattocks told council there are no plans to amalgamate the A.P.S.
“We did have a discussion about sharing some resources, but for scheduling conflicts, we decided that it would be better that each municipality were to have their own hearing officer.” Mattocks remarked.
The Administrative Penalty System will be implemented in Cambridge on Oct. 11.
