Hermosa Beach

Following a 3-1 City Council vote, the city will offer parking ticket amnesty for the second consecutive year in an effort to recoup more than $570,000 in unpaid fines.

Councilman Tony DeBellis opposed the program, which will allow residents to pay parking tickets at the original bail amount during the month of March, because he said it establishes a dangerous precedent for an annual amnesty.

According to General Services Director Joan Noon, most parking tickets issued in the city carry an $18 penalty, but are increased to $28 if unpaid after one week. After six weeks the fine jumps to $46 and the tickets are forwarded to the Department of Motor Vehicles so the vehicle registration will be withheld.

Last year, a similar two-week amnesty program netted the city $11,664 on total unpaid fines of more than $500,000.