§ 19-165. Civil penalties.

(a)

The penalty for parking in a parking area for longer than the maximum time established by this article shall be five dollars ($5.00), except for a violation of parking in a properly designated and marked handicapped only parking space which shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) as provided for by section 19-162(d)(1).

(b)

The penalty for all of the violations of this article relating to the stopping, standing and parking of automobiles or other vehicles shall be five dollars ($5.00), except that the penalty for a violation of section 19-161 of this article shall be twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

(c)

Upon receiving a citation serving as notice of a violation of the parking regulations set forth in this article, the owner or operator of the vehicle found in violation shall be responsible for the penalties established in this section.

(d)

Any penalty for a parking violation that is not paid within thirty (30) days of issuance will accrue an additional penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per infraction. The owner or operator incurring a traffic penalty will be notified in writing of the intent of the town to pursue claims through appropriate civil action. Once a civil action is initiated, any fees and costs involved in the civil action will be added to the settlement of each action.

(e)

The penalties imposed under this section shall be collected solely as civil penalties and no parking penalties or fines shall be enforced through criminal misdemeanor process nor shall they be enforced as infractions pursuant to G.S. section 14-4. This section shall not be construed as limiting any authority of the town to tow or remove any vehicle in violation for which such removal is otherwise authorized and to charge the owner of such vehicle for the cost of removal and storage.

(Code 1967, § 26-185; Ord. No. 90-36, § 2, 12-10-90; Ord. No. 92-4, § 1, 5-18-92; Ord. No. 01-04, § 1, 3-19-01)