File #: 14-4181    Name: Public Hearing, Second Reading, and Final Passage of an Ordinance Authorizing Amendments to Section 9-13 of the City Code Towing and Storage of Motor Vehicles
Type: Ordinance Status: Agenda Ready
File created: 6/3/2015 In control: City Council Legislative Meeting
On agenda: 6/13/2015 Final action:
Title: Public Hearing, Second Reading, and Final Passage of an Ordinance Authorizing Amendments to Section 9-13 of the City Code - Towing and Storage of Motor Vehicles. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
Attachments: 1. 14-4181_Attachment 1 Ordinance Cover.pdf, 2. 14-4181_Attachment 2 Ordinance.pdf, 3. 14-4181_After Items
City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM



DATE: JUNE 7, 2015

TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL

FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/

DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Public Hearing, Second Reading, and Final Passage of an Ordinance Authorizing Amendments to Section 9-13 of the City Code - Towing and Storage of Motor Vehicles. [ROLL-CALL VOTE]
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of an ordinance authorizing amendments to Sec. 9-13 of the City Code section Towing and Storage of Motor Vehicles. These amendments will increase the maximum allowable towing fee and change the letter height on towing warning signs.

RECOMMENDATION: That City Council hold the public hearing and pass the proposed ordinance (Attachment 2) effective upon the date and at the time of its final passage.

BACKGROUND: The City's towing ordinance was last revised on June 5, 2013 based on recommendations provided by the then Ad Hoc Towing Services Advisory Board. Two of the items that were revised in the last change to the code were: 1) the standard tow fee was increased from $75 to $125 to bring the City's fees in line with the neighboring jurisdictions and the State maximum and 2) the size of the warning sign was reduced so that a standard size sign blank could be used.

DISCUSSION: The Towing Advisory Board met in November 2014, reviewed the City's towing ordinance and suggested increasing the rate for a standard tow from $125 to $135, and reducing the letter height on warning signs from 3 inches to 1.5 inches. City staff recommends adopting the board's proposal and for that purpose the following changes to the towing ordinance:

Sec. 9-13-3 - Towing and storage fees and regulations:
To maintain consistency with the towing rates in surrounding jurisdictions and State Code, staff recommends increasing the cost of a standard tow from $125 to $135. Since the City's last rate c...

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