SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Council Raises Fines for Parking Tickets

The City Council has raised fines for most parking tickets.

Under the previous fine structure, most parking tickets issued in the city drew a $27 fine. Unauthorized parking in a handicapped zone generated a $102 fine.

The newly approved fines of $32 for most violations and $275 for parking in a handicapped zone make San Juan Capistrano comparable to other South County cities, said Lt. Paul Sullivan, chief of police services. The council acted unanimously Tuesday night.

The action is expected to increase revenue by about $18,000 annually if the same number of citations are issued. In 1993, the city’s police services issued 3,692 parking citations.

Parking downtown, in particular, can be a problem here because spaces can be hard to come by when tourists visit.

Last month, the council approved spending $20,000 to bring a 1990 parking study up to date.

The study will offer ways to accommodate more vehicles downtown, which is expected to change over the next few years as private developers renovate the El Peon complex, across from Mission San Juan Capistrano. Also, city officials are discussing another possible downtown project, Historic Town Center.