Changes are in store for drivers who do not follow parking regulations and cause damage to or obstruct roads.
A review and rewrite of City of Powell River's traffic bylaw will bring some of the city's rules into the 21st century.
First brought in back in 1978, Bylaw 931 was designed to regulate traffic and the use of city streets. The bylaw has seen period revision over time, but the city is proposing to rewrite it to reflect current times.
"It was time for a review," said Tor Birtig, director of infrastructure for City of Powell River. Birtig presented a first review of Traffic Bylaw 2412, 2016 to council's committee of the whole meeting Tuesday, January 19.
Parking fines also have not been updated since 1978. Though updated fines have not been spelled out in the first reading of the bylaw update, staff said they will be included in the next draft.
Birtig told council the first step in enforcement is through voluntary compliance, and then fines if necessary.
Since the installation of bike lanes on city streets, concerns have been raised about cars stopping or blocking them. The new rules will give police and bylaw enforcement officers the power to ticket and/or tow violators.
The new bylaw no longer restricts insured vehicles from parking on the shoulder of roads and improves traffic-related enforcement through a streamlined ticketing system.
Under the old bylaw, Birtig explained that violators are issued a ticket and the process to collect the fine is onerous. For each unpaid ticket issued, staff have to issue a court summons and attend the court hearing.
With the new bylaw, the city is moving toward using a Municipal Ticket Information (MTI) system. Under MTI, prosecution and collection is streamlined.
People have two weeks after receiving a ticket to file a formal notice of dispute. If a dispute is not filed within the time limit, the violator is deemed guilty and the specific penalty is automatically imposed. Staff are not required to attend court to move to collection.
City chief administration officer Mac Fraser explained the bylaw will be registered with the court.
"It's almost a warrant from the court," said Fraser. "We'll have to abide to it very carefully, but it truncates the process."
