Drivers stung by parking tickets from private companies
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PORTLAND, Ore. - Private companies are handing out parking tickets and it's legal.
In some cases the companies ticketed drivers' cars that were parked on the street. In other cases, drivers who parked in private lots got tickets even after they fed a meter and stayed within their time limits.
Many of the complaints from drivers have come from the blocks surrounding Union Station in Northwest Portland.
Drivers say they parked in a lot after seeing a green sign right next to green parking meters. The sign reads: "Pay to park all hours."
Drivers pumped their money into the meters and put the stickers in their windows. But it turns out they should have fed another meter not the green ones on the street that belong to the city of Portland.
On the other side of the train station, it's a private road that drivers told KATU News they thought was public and free.
Barbara McNasser got a ticket there when she was helping a friend move into a new apartment. She said she never noticed a sign posted on a light pole next to the street that said: "The Yards: Private Property: Parking for tenants & visitors with displayed permits only. Unauthorized vehicles subject to penalty or towing at owner's expense."
"It's not something that would catch your attention like: 'Watch out' or 'Beware' or 'No Parking,'" she said. "It was just this little tiny thing saying this is who we are and you're not allowed to park here."
Workers for Pacific Audit Solutions patrol the parking lots and the streets they own.
The company is owned by the same family that owns U-Park and city Center Parking.
They also own on-street meters on the waterfront at Southwest Hall and Southwest Moody.
It's all legal, according to an ordinance updated by the City Council three years ago.
Pacific Audit Solutions president, Mark Goodman, said the city and the Portland Development Commission have approved all of the signs and meters.
The city confirmed it did inspect and approve the meters and signage.
McNasser says she learned a valuable lesson not to assume anything when parking in the city of Portland.
This company is now trying to pull the same thing in Lake Oswego, the difference being, both the city attorney and the courts say they have no legal right to do so, that it is strictly a civil matter. In addition, the lot they are ticketing at, Lakside Plaza, has signs only stating that a permit is required before 5pm, yet they are handing out their "citations" well into the evening hours. Here is what the LO court stated when I wrote to them.
Request Details:
Is Pacific Audit Solutions authorized by the city of Lake Oswego to issue enforceable parking tickets in private lots?
Comment:
Hello, Thank you for asking. We have had reports of people being ticketed in the parking lot next to Stickman Brewery. The ticketing is done by a private company on private property. The City is not a party in this case or situation. We have not authorized them to do it nor have a process or rule for such authorization. The owners of Stickman and the Stickman property have worked with the adjoining owners for after hours parking and have placed better signage up to notify people not to park in the lot during normal business hours. Police Chief Don Johnson would be happy to talk with you, if you would like to talk further. He can be reached at(503) 635-0246. Christine Public AffairsÂ
Follow this link to see what the State Attorney General of California had to say about these practices. Still waiting for an answer from the Oregon Attorney General to whom I wrote citing this opinion.
 http://ag.ca.gov/cms_attachments/opinions/pdfs/o516_07-804.pdf