Crime & Safety

Off the Blotter: Parking Enforcement Explained

"Off the Blotter" is an opportunity for the Lexington Police Department to share what is happening here in Lexington and in your neighborhood.

The following post was submitted by Lexington Police Chief Mark Corr. 

Parking in and around Lexington Center is often a challenge. It is therefore important for the Lexington Police Department to have a fair, reasonable and consistent enforcement policy. 

We tend to focus on hazardous parking violations that include parking near fire hydrants, within intersections or in ‘no parking’ zones. Those who park for extended periods of time at parking meters interfere with the purpose of a parking meter program; that is to ensure sufficient turn over of parking spaces for customers. It is also important to keep handicap parking (HP) spaces open for the disabled community. 

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The Parking Enforcement Officer now has new equipment that streamlines the process of issuing parking tickets. The handheld unit can take pictures of offending motor vehicles and also identifies offenders with outstanding unpaid tickets. Our current vendor who manages the outstanding parking tickets accepts credit card payments (with a small additional fee) as well as on-line payments at www.kelleyryan.com

For those who wish to appeal a parking ticket, the Parking Hearing Officer is available the first and third Friday of every month in the Reed Room (room 111) in the Town Offices from 9 to 11 a.m. No appointment is necessary.

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Effective July 22, 2013, the Police Department will begin parking scofflaw enforcement. Under M.G.L. Chapter 90, section 20A½, any vehicle with three or more overdue parking tickets may be seized. 

Lexington typically uses the boot and/or may tow and impound an offending motor vehicle. We will be looking for motor vehicles with hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars in outstanding fines and fees. 

You might ask, “How can someone owe that much?” 

One scenario involves a $10 parking ticket. After 21-days, a $5 fee is added and the motorist is given notice of the overdue parking ticket. Continued non-payment results in the ticket being “marked” at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). This adds another $10 fee and a $20 RMV fee. The original $10 parking ticket becomes a $45 ticket. Tickets that are “marked” at the RMV also prevent you from renewing your registration or license.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to call the Traffic Bureau located at the police station at 781-862-1235.


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