(A) (1) Violations of parking restrictions imposed by this Code, shall be charged upon a simple notice, which may be placed in a conspicuous manner on an unattended vehicle, of a fine payable at the Office of the City Clerk at City Hall. The fine for improper use of a persons with disabilities parking permit is two hundred dollars ($200.00). The fine for illegal parking in a fire lane is one hundred dollars ($100.00). The fine for all other parking violations shall be in the amount of twenty dollars ($20.00). If a fine is not paid within thirty (30) days, it shall be increased by twenty five percent (25%).
(2) Failure to pay said fine within the above time may result in the information charging said violation to be filed with the Iowa District Court, Magistrate Division, in Fort Madison, Iowa, or the City may choose to collect the fine through other means.
(3) A violation may also be charged by issuance of a uniform traffic citation as provided by the Code of Iowa, said citation to be conspicuously affixed to the vehicle and citing the operator to answer to the charge on the date, time and place specified in the citation.
(B) A peace officer is hereby authorized to remove, or cause to be removed a vehicle from public property, including a public street, alley, public parking lot, or highway, to a place or places designated by the City of Fort Madison, under the following circumstances:
(1) Disabled Vehicle: When a vehicle is so disabled as to constitute an obstruction to traffic and the person or persons in charge of the vehicle are by reason of physical injury or otherwise incapacitated to such an extent as to be unable to provide for the vehicle’s custody or removal.
(2) Illegally Parked Vehicle: When any vehicle is left unattended and is so illegally parked as to constitute a definite hazard or obstruction to traffic.
(3) Fire Lanes: When a vehicle is left parked in violation of a ban on parking in a fire lane set in accordance with this chapter.
(4) In Violation: When a vehicle is parked in violation of this chapter and chapter 14 of this title.
(5) Failure To Pay Parking Fines: When any vehicle has accumulated three (3) or more unpaid parking fines. For the purposes of this section, an unpaid parking fine is any parking fine that has not been fully paid within thirty (30) days after notice was issued.
(C) In addition to the standard penalties provided, the owner or operator of any vehicle impounded for the violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be required to pay the reasonable costs of towing and storage.
(Ord. D-101, passed 7-5-2023)