Wilmington Mayor Purzycki said his office is overhauling the city’s parking enforcement program.
The mayor’s office says the revamp includes lowering parking ticket prices from $40 to $25, changing residential parking permits and improving signage and communications with the public.
Residents have often complained about the city’s parking enforcement, calling it confusing and difficult to appeal.
“We have had more controversy and headaches and wasted more energy on parking issues than anything else that we deal with,” Purzycki said.
He added that the changes will start to roll out in January.
Last year a group of residents filed a federal lawsuit against the city calling its towing practices unconstitutional.
Purzycki said the city issues around 50,000 tickets annually and he expects the changes to cut that number in half.
A year ago, Wilmington residents filed a federal lawsuit alleging the city’s towing practices were illegal.
When asked if that suit was a factor in the city’s revamping of its parking enforcement, Purzycki said no.
“We’re not concerned at all about the lawsuit,” he said.
