The Atlanta City Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance establishing a comprehensive “parking bill of rights” for customers using park-for-hire parking lots and garages in Atlanta.
The legislation requires operators to clearly disclose rates, fees, payment options, operating conditions and other important information before customers park. It also establishes protections related to payment accessibility, privacy and license plate data, parking validation, grace periods and dispute resolution, while authorizing enforcement measures and penalties for noncompliant operators (26-O-1370).
“Parking in Atlanta has become increasingly complicated, and too often consumers are left trying to figure out unclear fees, confusing technology, and penalties they may not even know they received until weeks later. I know how frustrating this is because I’ve navigated this complex system with seemingly no path to fairness,” said District 4 Councilmember James Dozier, the legislation’s sponsor. “Fair business practices at parking facilities are especially important for seniors, people without smartphones, and anyone who has ever been hit with an unexpected parking charge and had no reasonable way to challenge it.”
