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Home My WebLink About052306 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