052306 Towing Advisory BoardTowing in the
Towing in the
City of Virginia Beach
City of Virginia Beach
City Council Briefing
City Council Briefing
May 23, 2006
May 23, 2006
Purpose of Briefing
Purpose of Briefing
Provide feedback from the Towing Advisory
Provide feedback from the Towing Advisory
Board Meeting
Board Meeting
Present the recommendations made by Towing
Present the recommendations made by Towing
Advisory Board to City Council.
Advisory Board to City Council.
Provide Staff input into recommendations
Provide Staff input into recommendations
proposed by Towing Advisory Board
proposed by Towing Advisory Board
Towing Advisory Board
Towing Advisory Board
Addresses Private Tow Concerns
Addresses Private Tow Concerns
Non-Consensual -Illegally Parked
Non-Consensual -Illegally Parked
Private Parking Lots
Private Parking Lots
Proposed Ordinance Changes by
Proposed Ordinance Changes by
City Attorney’s Office
City Attorney’s Office
Towing Comment/Survey Form
Towing Comment/Survey Form
Better Signage
Better Signage
Requirement for Tow Companies to provide
Requirement for Tow Companies to provide
change for Tows
change for Tows
Predatory cruising by towing operators
Predatory cruising by towing operators
Police Department would require tow companies
Police Department would require tow companies
to accept credit card payments for tows from
to accept credit card payments for tows from
public property
public property
Towing Advisory Board’s
Towing Advisory Board’s
Comments
Comments
Towing Comment/Survey Form Usage
Towing Comment/Survey Form Usage
Better Signage
Better Signage
Towing Advisory Board’s
Towing Advisory Board’s
Comments
Comments
Requirement for Change from Tow
Requirement for Change from Tow
Operators
Operators
Suggested Tow Operators not having
Suggested Tow Operators not having
?
?
correct change to make note on receipt
correct change to make note on receipt
and send check within 7 days
and send check within 7 days
Towing Advisory Board’s
Towing Advisory Board’s
Comments
Comments
Predatory Cruising by Tow Operators
Predatory Cruising by Tow Operators
Develop permit program
Develop permit program
?
?
Lots would meet all requirements for permits
Lots would meet all requirements for permits
?
?
Complaints could be monitored
Complaints could be monitored
?
?
Program would need to be cost neutral
Program would need to be cost neutral
?
?
Towing Advisory Board’s
Towing Advisory Board’s
Recommendations
Recommendations
Hire a full time position that will be
Hire a full time position that will be
assigned to whatever department the city
assigned to whatever department the city
deems appropriate to monitor lots, deal
deems appropriate to monitor lots, deal
with towing complaints.
with towing complaints.
Establish a permit program for property
Establish a permit program for property
owners for those businesses not wanting
owners for those businesses not wanting
an agent for the property.
an agent for the property.
Towing Advisory Board’s
Towing Advisory Board’s
Recommendations
Recommendations
Any criminal complaints would be given to
Any criminal complaints would be given to
the Police Department for investigation
the Police Department for investigation
and City Attorney’s office for prosecution.
and City Attorney’s office for prosecution.
Towing Advisory Board
Towing Advisory Board
Recommendation
Recommendation
Rate Increase from $85 to $125
Rate Increase from $85 to $125
Cost of doing business –
Cost of doing business –
Salaries, Insurance, Fuel, Equipment, taxes, etc.
Salaries, Insurance, Fuel, Equipment, taxes, etc.
?
?
Fall of 2005 –Calculated the cost per tow at $112
Fall of 2005 –Calculated the cost per tow at $112
Met the goals established
Met the goals established
Staff Recommendation
Staff Recommendation
Parking Lot Permit Program
Parking Lot Permit Program
Number of
Number of
RateParticipants Annual Revenue
RateParticipants Annual Revenue
Required
Required
$ 501208$ 60,400
$ 501208$ 60,400
$ 100604$ 60,400
$ 100604$ 60,400
$ 150403$ 60,450
$ 150403$ 60,450
$ 175345$ 60,375
$ 175345$ 60,375
$ 200302$ 60,400
$ 200302$ 60,400
Staff Recommendation
Staff Recommendation
Parking Lot Permit Program
Parking Lot Permit Program
Not Establish the Proposed Permit
Not Establish the Proposed Permit
Program
Program
Staff Recommendation
Staff Recommendation
Rate Increase –Basic Tow
Rate Increase –Basic Tow
Business costs have risen
Business costs have risen
Last increase May 2004, $75 to $85
Last increase May 2004, $75 to $85
The calculated costs of $112 per tow in
The calculated costs of $112 per tow in
October 2005
October 2005
The rate increases provided to the Taxi
The rate increases provided to the Taxi
Companies
Companies
December 2005, February 2006
December 2005, February 2006
Neighboring City Rates
Neighboring City Rates
Basic tow rate
Basic tow rate
City
City
day/night
day/night
$85/$95
$85/$95
Chesapeake
Chesapeake
(defaults to State Code)
(defaults to State Code)
$85/$95 for police
$85/$95 for police
Hampton
Hampton
$85/95 for IP
$85/95 for IP
(defaults to state code)
(defaults to state code)
$120, 140, 285 for IP tows.
$120, 140, 285 for IP tows.
Cost varies with
Cost varies with
Newport News
Newport News
weight.
weight.
$105
$105
Norfolk
Norfolk
$50/$55 for PD; $85/95 for IP
$50/$55 for PD; $85/95 for IP
(defaults to state
(defaults to state
Portsmouth
Portsmouth
PD tows $105 7/1/06
PD tows $105 7/1/06
code)
code)
$85/$95
Suffolk$85/$95
Suffolk
(defaults to state code)
(defaults to state code)
$85
Virginia Beach$85
Virginia Beach
Staff Recommendation
Staff Recommendation
Rate Increase –Basic Tow
Rate Increase –Basic Tow
Recommends a Rate Increase for Basic
Recommends a Rate Increase for Basic
Tows
Tows
Summary
Summary
Proposed Towing Advisory City Staff
Proposed Towing Advisory City Staff
OrdinanceBoard
OrdinanceBoard
Towing SupportedAdopt as
Towing SupportedAdopt as
Comment/Survey proposed
Comment/Survey proposed
Form
Form
Better SignageSupported Adopt as
Better SignageSupported Adopt as
proposed
proposed
Especially on RPP Signs
Especially on RPP Signs
Change Suggested modification Adopt as
Change Suggested modification Adopt as
Requirement for for check to be mailed in proposed
Requirement for for check to be mailed in proposed
Tow Operators7 Days
Tow Operators7 Days
Predatory Cruising Parking Lot Permit Adopt as
Predatory Cruising Parking Lot Permit Adopt as
Programproposed
Programproposed
Rate IncreaseRecommended Rate Supports a Rate
Rate IncreaseRecommended Rate Supports a Rate
IncreaseIncrease
IncreaseIncrease