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Neighborhood Parking Enforcement
Parking problems in residential neighborhoods are a frequent source of resident complaints to the City. The Garland City Council has approved a program for administrative enforcement of parking ordinances throughout the city.
In the past, parking tickets were treated like traffic tickets – they were criminal charges (Class C misdemeanors). The criminal fines for most parking violations were between $80 and $200, and required that a person receiving the ticket attend a scheduled court hearing if they wanted to contest the ticket.
Because of the severe penalties and difficult enforcement procedures, few criminal parking tickets were issued over the years. Administrative enforcement will make enforcement easier for the City, make contesting parking tickets easier and less formal than a traditional court appearance for those charged with an offense, and make the fines civil in nature, meaning they will no longer be criminal offenses.
Under the ordinance adopted by the City Council, the fines will be greatly reduced. A first offense during a rolling one-year period will be $25, a second offense will be $50, and all subsequent offenses within a year will be $75. For offenses involving oversized vehicles, as defined by section 32.57 of the Garland Code of Ordinances, a first offense will be $75, a second offense will be $100, and all subsequent offenses during a rolling one-year period will be $150.
IMPORTANT - You will NOT receive an email notification to pay your parking ticket. All violation notices will be sent by regular mail and posted on the vehicle.
Below is a partial list of the most common parking violations that will be enforced through the administrative enforcement program. Click on the "Violation Examples" tab for illustrations of some items listed below.
- No parking zones - The City has adopted an ordinance that time limit or prohibit parking in certain areas.
- No parking on an unimproved surface.
- No parking of certain oversized and commercial type vehicles in residential areas - See "Oversized Vehicles" tab for examples and details.
- No parking on a sidewalk.
- No double parking.
- No parking in an intersection or within 20 feet of a crosswalk.
- No parking in such a way that a driveway is blocked.
- No parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
- No parking with 30 feet of an intersection control device.
- No parking within an alley so as to interfere with the movement of traffic.
Illustrations of common violations are below. For illustrations related to oversized vehicles, click on the "Oversized Vehicles" tab above.
Vehicles must be parked on an improved surface.
Double parking means parked on the roadway side of a vehicle stopped or parked at the edge of a curb or street.
It is illegal to block the sidewalk with a parked vehicle.
Vehicles may not be parked within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.
Vehicles may not be parked within 30 feet of a traffic control sign, stop sign, yield sign or flashing signal located at the side of a roadway.
It is illegal to park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
It is illegal to park in a fire zone or lane.
It is illegal to park blocking an alley so as to interfere with traffic.
Oversized vehicle means a tow truck, truck tractor, road tractor, semitrailer, trailer greater than 16 feet in length (excluding tongue), passenger vehicle designed to carry more than 16 persons, and any modified vehicle with a manufacturer's rating of 9,000 GWT (gross weight) or higher. Also included is any box truck, dump truck or dump trailer with a manufacturer's rating of 9,000 GWT or higher or with a cargo containment space greater than 16 feet in length. See Section 32.57 for additional details.
Here are a few examples of vehicles that may not be parked in residential areas, whether on public streets or private property (except when actively loading or unloading, or engaged in repair or construction activities):
The following vehicles may not be parked on public streets in residential areas but may be parked on private property in residential areas if the "box" (area behind the passenger compartment) is 16 feet or less in length, or the trailer is 18 feet or less in length (including the tongue):
What do I do if I receive a parking ticket in the City of Garland?
The registered owner of the illegally parked vehicle, or the owner of the real property where the parking violation occurred, will receive the citation either by receiving a copy of the citation placed on the vehicle or by mail. If you receive a parking ticket, you have several options. If you do not dispute the ticket, you may pay the ticket online following the instructions on the ticket or the letter you received notifying you of the parking violation. You may also pay the ticket at the Charles E. Duckworth Utilities Building, 217 N. Fifth St., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket has a due date and if not paid by the due date you may be charged an additional $25.
Can I dispute the ticket?
If you dispute the ticket, you must attend a hearing on or before the hearing date. Hearings take place at the Parking Hearings Office at the Garland Municipal Court. If you do not want to attend the hearing on the hearing date, you may appear at the Parking Hearings Office on the first or third Monday or Wednesday of each month. You will be given a hearing even if it is not your hearing date, although people with a scheduled hearing that date will receive first priority. If you do not attend a hearing on or before your hearing date, you will be presumed not to contest liability for the citation.
What occurs at a hearing?
When you arrive at the Parking Hearings Office, you will sign in and indicate whether it is your scheduled hearing date. When you are called for hearing, you will meet with a Hearing Officer appointed by the Court. The Hearing Officer will have a copy of your ticket available and will have photographs of the alleged parking violation taken by the officer. You can look at the pictures of the violation along with the Hearing Officer and tell the Hearing Officer any information you believe will be helpful for the Hearing Officer to decide whether you are liable for the parking ticket. You may bring witnesses to testify on your behalf. After the Hearing Officer hears the case, he or she will make a decision and you will be informed of the decision. If you are found not liable, the ticket will be dismissed. If you are found liable, you must pay the ticket on or before the due date to avoid a late fee of $25. Information about your right to appeal is available at the Parking Hearings Office.