Gainesville City Commission postpones new towing fees, passes valet regulations on first reading
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – During the afternoon session of the April 3 Gainesville City Commission meeting, Commissioners postponed setting new towing fees and passed new regulations for valet parking operators on first reading.
Towing and immobilization fees
The agenda item to modify the towing and immobilization ordinance was requested in the March 13 General Policy Committee meeting; at that meeting, Commissioners voted to set the maximum trespass towing and immobilization fees to align with the City of Tallahassee.Â
Maximum trespass towing fees:
- Class A light-duty vehicles: $130
- Class B medium-duty vehicles: $240
- Class C heavy-duty vehicles: $300
- Administrative fee: $45
Maximum immobilization fee: $80.50
The City Commission also requested some changes to the towing and immobilization ordinance, but Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Major Jaime Kurnick said those will come back at a later time.Â
Ward: “I want to make sure we air all that out before we just plow ahead here.”
Mayor Harvey Ward said there had been “a lot of conversation around City Hall about this… Some of the things… are potentially postponing this to include it with the ordinance. I want to make sure we air all that out before we just plow ahead here.”
Commissioner Bryan Eastman also wanted to postpone the new rates until they have the changes to the ordinance: “I wanted all of these things to sort of be paired up with each other… At least we can say, you know, ‘Here are your rights; here are the enhanced protections that you have; here are some other things that are along with that.’… This is a very in-depth industry. There’s a lot of regulations.” He said he wanted to take time to sit down with GPD and the towing companies and their customers: “Roam towing is one of those things that seems to come up every couple of years, and it’s been a couple of years since I’ve been on the commission, and I’d like to have the opportunity to sort of take a look at that.”
Ward said three people had reached out to him the previous day to say, “Hey, let’s have more conversation.”
Commissioner James Ingle agreed, “How we kind of handle all this, I think, needs to be a lot more holistic than just passing fee updates today and moving on. I would really like this to be part of a larger conversation.”
Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker also supported “a really kind of comprehensive look at this issue… I’ll just say it like this: I felt like I was uninformed, and I would like the opportunity to sit with some of the people who were here with us the last time. I’m glad to see them back here in the chamber with us today, because I know they have some concerns, and I know a lot of them are valid.”
Ward: “I’d like to bring this back in August or September, so that the folks who are most likely to be affected can be here in the room and make comments.”
Ward added that he wanted “to be careful that we don’t make decisions about towing when [the students] are not in town or not focused. So I’d like to bring this back in August or September, so that the folks who are most likely to be affected can be here in the room and make comments.” He said the tow truck companies were there, “but I do not want to try to do something like this in May or June and have people come back and find a different set of rules than when they left.”
Ward called for public comment, and the Clerk read through a list of people who had signed up to speak, including a number of towing company representatives, but they all declined to speak.
Ward said, “Well, I’m glad that we all seem to be in a direction here.”
Commissioner Ed Book invited the representatives from the towing companies to reach out to Commissioners so “we all have a better understanding of all the nuances of the ordinance.”
Motion
Eastman made a motion to table the resolution to set towing and immobilization fees and direct staff to bring it back in conjunction with the towing and immobilization policy. The motion passed unanimously.
Superior Towing sent emails to the Mayor and Commissioners before the meeting
On March 28, Alachua Chronicle received a tip about a plan for towing companies to propose the end of roam towing: “On Thursday, April 3rd, all three private property towing companies will present a proposal to the Gainesville Commission to abolish roam towing for private properties.”
However, this proposal was not made during the meeting, and the Mayor and Commissioners referred to non-specific “conversations.”
On March 31, Superior Towing sent an email to the Mayor, City Commissioners, and the City Manager that said, “Everyone that cares about our community would like for the city to do away with Roam towing.” Superior Towing recommended making residential properties call for a tow truck when they want a car removed: “This takes the towing companies out of the decision making in the process in having someone towed and is making the property owners/agents accountable… The ordinance will still be followed by towing companies, it just takes the responsibility of determining violations out of their hands.”
Superior Towing also asked for the rates to match the County rate, which they said would be around $160, accounting for inflation, and recommended making immobilization an annual parking enforcement contract for a fee of about $85 per year.Â
Valet parking regulations
The Commission also passed new valet parking regulations on first reading. The ordinance allows valet operators the exclusive use of on-street parking spaces for an annual fee; each operator can control up to four spaces for $2,190 per space per year (already scheduled to increase by 5% in FY2026). Two attendants must be present during peak hours of service; if the City finds that their operation is not “orderly” at other times, the City can require a second person during non-peak hours.Â
Commissioner Casey Willits made a motion to adopt the ordinance on first reading, and Eastman seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
“The Commission also passed new valet parking regulations on first reading. The ordinance allows valet operators the EXCLUSIVE USE OF ON-STREET PARKING SPACES for an annual fee; each operator can control up to four spaces for $2,190 per space per year (already scheduled to increase by 5% in FY2026).” As if finding a parking space isn’t difficult enough already.
The Commission of Clowns continue to sell out the residents and businesses.
The only idiots who are likely to pay for the privilege and exclusive rights to parking spaces are likely the idiots who continue to vote for our locally elected idiots.
I get so excited and giddy when I see the words “new fees”. It reminds me of the time I was pulling into the Krispy Kreme and the HOT sign came on right then. I was so excited I almost accidentally drove through the building.
Best way to avoid towing fees in downtown is just don’t go. I haven’t parked downtown in years, just plain avoid the hassle.
I can hardly think of a reason to go downtown. Except for the Hippodrome.
The place needs a revamp. It looks old and needs a pressure washing.
Enema would be more appropriate.
I’m guessing you and That Guy are old and need an enema, which explains you’re not going downtown.
Hey, enjoy Friday night at Walmart and the McDonald’s drive thru. I old, but not so old that I don’t prefer live music, good restaurants and bars, and events at Bo Diddley and Depot Park followed by a pint or 2 at nearby First Magnitude or Cypress and Grove breweries.
Given all that I agree with you on valet parking and closing 1st Ave.
Jazz, I’ve been in Gainesville since 1994. I’ve been to every restaurant, every bar, and seen Bo Diddley and Depot. It’s old.
I’m just underwhelmed by the lack of growth and change. However, I am glad you enjoy downtown.
I’m better going for a long walk in our lovely rural environment than going downtown. I’d rather cook my own meals, as I enjoy it, and I don’t drink.
Good for you That Guy, but it seemed to me that you offered it less as a personal preference than a put down of downtown which I continue to enjoy and I’ve been here continuously since 1973 and for sometime before that. I agree on our lovely rural environment, which I try to hike in weekly. We don’t have the mountains but our forests are spectacularly and uniquely beautiful thanks to majestic – sometimes ghostly – and varied trees. Hope i bump into you out there sometime!
Jazz,
I have seen sunrises in the woods that were so special that words can not describe it.
But downtown…can use a good vitamin is all I’m saying.
I am old, but last check, none was needed.
Speaking of enemas; can’t help but wonder if your continued acquiescence for the City Commission’s misuse of funds has to do with their keeping your pipes clean.
“to be careful that we don’t make decisions about towing when [the students] are not in town or not focused… the folks who are most likely to be affected can be here in the room and make comments” They care more about transient students than the citizens and businesses that live in GNV… The out of town students should be voting absentee in the cities and states they come from…
The real scary part is those same students are climbing traffic signal supports, (and falling), and getting arrested for resisting arrest.
Those are just the types I want making decisions for me – NOT.
They are the only hope to clean up City Hall and the County Commission, otherwise you’ll always be outvoted by the old Dem women with their bad haircuts and deranged homemade signs. I, for one, am glad to see that the weak beta males at UF have largely been replaced by more traditional males who actually have some testosterone. The times are changing, though most of you would have no idea. In any case, making generalizations based on the actions of a few individuals out of tens of thousands makes you sound really dumb (if your other posts hadn’t accomplished that already).
Testosterone isn’t a substitute for common sense or intelligence.
I’ve seen you and others make generalizations about certain ethnicities and genders – what’s that make you?
It’s an absolute fact that many liberals around here look like they haven’t showered or washed their hair in a week.
It’s repulsive.
Testosterone helps get things done and boosts confidence. Most of the sad local eunuchs can’t even get out and vote, regardless of any alleged common sense or intelligence.
Acting like a bunch of cucks in concert…the politics (aka whore $) of the City and UF have completely ruined this area. It’s all about money while they tell you it isn’t all about money.
Doublespeak in action
Was this supposed to pass as a cc work day? How excruciating!