Carrboro Board of Aldermen considers changes to towing regulations

Carrboro residents generally don’t have to worry about towing if they only need to park illegally while they run into a store — it may soon be legal to park illegally for up to 15 minutes within town limits.

This so called “15-minute rule” is just one of many new towing regulations being considered by the town’s Board of Aldermen. Other major changes proposed for the town’s towing ordinances could include raising the maximum amount a towing company can charge from $100 to $125.

Alterations to the current ordinance were prompted after the board fielded complaints of predatory towing in the area, said Alderman Damon Seils.

“There are cases where trucks are literally sitting in lots, waiting to find someone to tow,” he said.

Glenn Lassiter, an attorney representing Barnes Auto & Towing, Inc. penned a letter to the Board of Aldermen in July after police asked for the towing company’s input on the proposed laws.

The letter, which lists a number of recommendations the company believes the town should adopt, was part of a report from Carrboro Police Chief Walter Horton received by the Board of Aldermen during a meeting last month.

In the letter, Lassiter said Carrborro should raise the maximum charge from $100 to $125 to remain competitive with surrounding towns like Chapel Hill, which also has a maximum charge of $125.

Lassiter said there is no need for additional signage about a building’s towing policies, citing research in his letter that demonstrates that nearly all those who are towed are aware that they were parked illegally .

Alderman Randee Haven-O’Donnell said she agrees putting up signage is not the responsibility of the towing company.

“We believe signage is the issue of the property owner,” she said.

Lassiter said he was concerned about the proposed 15-minute rule.

“From a legal standpoint, if you own property you have a right to control access to that property,” he said. “If you have to allow someone to park on your property for 15 minutes that goes against your right to control your property.”

He also said there needs to be an additional $25 charge for the use of credit cards. As the law stands now, towing companies cannot charge a fee for credit card payments.

While Seils said they considered all of Lassiter’s recommendations carefully, he said raising the maximum charge was really the only issue they found credible enough to adopt, while adding that Barnes Towing has not been a problem for the district when it comes to predatory towing.

Seils also emphasized that the coming changes would not be a huge overhaul of the regulations.

“What I want to make clear is that existing regulations set a maximum fee and require towing companies to accept credit cards,” he said.

Seils said the Board of Aldermen will make a formal decision about the ordinance in the near future.

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