Parking enforcement in San Jose returns to pre-pandemic levels but with a twist
SAN JOSE (KPIX) -- After months of relaxed enforcement due to the pandemic, the dreaded parking ticket is making a comeback in neighborhoods all over San Jose.
"We're returning to normal as far as time restricted parking but with a twist. We've had this time to modernize our program, make it more efficient with the use of some automatic license plate reader technology," said Colin Heyne of the San Jose Department of Transportation.
Parking enforcement vehicles are now equipped with multiple license plate readers.
As enforcement cars make their rounds, officers will get a ping if the cameras spot a car that the system recognizes as having been parked in the same time restricted spot for too long.
The city has almost 700 time-restricted parking areas, ranging from 12 minutes to four hours.
"Right now we're going to enforce 274 of these areas. These are areas with time limits of less than two hours," Heyne said.
The new enforcement actions were not a hit with downtown San Jose driver Alberto.
"I think they should spend money on other things, instead of trying to give somebody a ticket," he said.
Alberto grew up in San Jose and today, his classic Monte Carlo was parked in a 30 minute zone as he enjoyed a meal at a downtown restaurant.
He questioned the need for increased enforcement.
"You might lose track of time. If it's 30 or 40 minutes, you know? I could see if I'm parked here 3 or 4 hours maybe I deserve a ticket. But if I'm at 40 minutes, why give me a ticket? I'm trying to enjoy my dinner."
One of the other complaints has been over privacy, since the cameras are always recording the license plates and whereabouts of vehicles, even those not in violation of anything.
"We understand people's privacy concerns. We are using this technology in as limited a way as we can and only so that it's valuable to us. We don't take a picture of your license plate and compare it to any other list," Heyne said.
San Jose says the parking enforcement vehicles do a data purge of unused images everyday.
Besides time restricted zones, the technology will help spot cars illegally parked in neighborhoods that are only permitted for residents.