Those leaving Sandy Springs Springs events only to find their car tires placed in a locked clamp known as booting may be more aware of consequences if a new ordinance is passed.
City Attorney Dan Lee brought proposals to change the city’s ordinance to the city council’s Aug. 19 work session.
Lee said the city has a history of prohibiting booting in places like city hall and at city parking areas. Signs are required in parking areas where companies boot parked cars.
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Research by the city attorney’s staff showed booting company Empire Mobility (Jean F. Anderson v. Empire Parking Services) settled a class action lawsuit with a $5 million judgment. State Court of Fulton County records show the lawsuit alleged unlawful booting in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, or Decatur. Lee said he was shocked to learn that though Atlanta requires signs twice the size of Sandy Springs, they were considered deficient.
Lee proposed changes to the ordinance. The city would double the size of the booting warning signs to 48 inches high by 36 inches wide. The ordinance already requires a contract with the property owner where cars would be booted. Lee proposed having those contracts delivered to the city so that booting sites could to be listed publicly.
Lee said in some other jurisdictions, companies have placed cameras where people frequently park. A car parking in an unauthorized area triggers a notification to send a representatie to boot the car. Predatory companies sometimes boot the cars even without permission from the property owner, Lee said.
A bill signed into law by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in May requires a notice posted at the private property to include the name of the booting company and the property owner, with contact information to get the device removed and how much the removal will cost.
Lee was told to bring the ordinance back to a regular meeting of the city council.