Police to have more power enforcing parking lot misbehavior in Hollister

EXPLAINS THE FINES AND THE INFRACTIONS THAT COULD LEAD TO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES. CAMPING, SKATEBOARDING, VANDALIZING, ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE WILL NOW BE PROHIBITED AT PUBLIC PARKING LOTS UNDER THIS NEW ORDINANCE... SOMETHING STUDENTS AT GAVILAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE.. IN HOLLISTER HAVE BEEN ASKING THE CITY TO ACT ON ..... < YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO AND IT'S PRETTY UNSAFE> < AND ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S GETTING DARKER NOW AND SOMETIMES STUDENTS STAY AFTER SCHOOL TO COMPLETE HOMEWORK IN THE COMPUTER LAB, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN UP THE STAIRS. AND THE CITY RESPONDED... THE ORDINANCE WAS WRITTEN BY THE HOLLISTER POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY.. HOLLISTER POLICE SAY THEY HAVE RESPONDED TO NUMEROUS CALLS AT CITY PARKING LOTS.... THE MOST RECENT INVOLVES TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF KIDS DROPPING HEAVY METAL OBJECTS FROM THE TOP FLOOR OF THE BRIGGS BUILDING... THE POLICE CHIEF SAYS THEY HAVE ARRESTED AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN CONNECTION TO ONE OF THOSE CASES... çáááSOTáááÑ <"IN THE PAST THE OFFICERS WOULD SHOW UP AND IF THEY WERE DOING ANYTHING WRONG AT THE MOMENT THERE WAS NO LEGAL ACTION WE COULD TAKE... BESIDES ASKING THEM TO LEAVE."> WHEN THE ORDINANCE COMES INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY 2023... OFFICERS WILL HAVE A NEW TOOL.... THE ORDINANCE WILL ALLOW POLICE TO ISSUE FINES STARTING AT 250 DOLLARS... AND A SECOND VIOLATION WITHIN 48 HOURS COULD RESULT IN A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE... <BRINGING IT TO A MISDEMEANOR, IT REALLY IT REALLY DETERS THE ACTIVITY RATHER THAN FINES. OFTENTIMES, FOLKS CAN'T AFFORD THE FINES. AND SO THIS IS A WAY TO REALLY TO REALLY DETER THE ACTIVITY. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THIS AREA IS SAFE. > ANOTHER PUSH FOR THE CITY TO KEEP THE AREA SAFE....AS A NEW APARTMENT BUILDING AND MORE SHOPS GET READY TO OPEN NEXT YEAR. <"WE'VE HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA WITH NEW RESTAURANTS, OPENING NEW FACILITIES, NEW BUSINESSES. AND WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE AN AREA FOR THEM TO FEEL SAFE TO COM

On Nov. 21 Hollister City Council voted unanimously to fine people for misusing city parking lots.According to police chief Carlos Reynoso, anyone using the parking lot for other than its intended use is subject to being fined. Some infractions include: camping, loitering, riding bicycles, skateboarding, vandalizing and drinking and using drugs will all now be prohibited in city parking lots.The ordinance will allow officers to issue citations starting at $250 and, if a second offense is committed within 48 hours, the individual could be charged with a misdemeanor.Assistant City Manager David Mirrione said the misdemeanor charges were added to the ordinance to deter people from committing more infractions.“By bringing it to a misdemeanor, it really deters the activity rather than fines. Oftentimes, folks can't afford the fines. And so this is a way to really deter the activity. We need to ensure that this area is safe,” said Mirrione.The ordinance was brought forward by the Hollister Police Department and with assistance from the city attorney. According to Hollister police, they have received numerous calls at city parking lots. The most recent involved two separate cases of kids dropping heavy metal objects from the top floor of the Briggs Building in Hollister.Hollister Police Chief Reynoso said that at least one arrest has been made in connection to one of those cases.Reynoso said the ordinance will give the police officers the tools to cite people misusing the parking lot.“In the past, the officers would show up and if they were doing anything wrong at the moment there was no legal action we could take ... besides asking them to leave," said Reynoso.The new ordinance goes into effect on January 2023. Just in time for when the downtown Hollister retail apartments will open for business.The city will lease a floor of the parking structure to the tenants of the building which is still under construction on Fourth and San Benito street.The city hopes the ordinance will make residents and visitors feel safe.“We've had a tremendous amount of economic activity in the downtown area with new restaurants, opening new facilities, new businesses. And we really want to have an area for them to feel safe to come park out. And we feel that this ordinance change accomplishes that,” said Mirrione.

HOLLISTER, Calif. —

On Nov. 21 Hollister City Council voted unanimously to fine people for misusing city parking lots.

According to police chief Carlos Reynoso, anyone using the parking lot for other than its intended use is subject to being fined. Some infractions include: camping, loitering, riding bicycles, skateboarding, vandalizing and drinking and using drugs will all now be prohibited in city parking lots.

The ordinance will allow officers to issue citations starting at $250 and, if a second offense is committed within 48 hours, the individual could be charged with a misdemeanor.

Assistant City Manager David Mirrione said the misdemeanor charges were added to the ordinance to deter people from committing more infractions.

“By bringing it to a misdemeanor, it really deters the activity rather than fines. Oftentimes, folks can't afford the fines. And so this is a way to really deter the activity. We need to ensure that this area is safe,” said Mirrione.

The ordinance was brought forward by the Hollister Police Department and with assistance from the city attorney.

According to Hollister police, they have received numerous calls at city parking lots. The most recent involved two separate cases of kids dropping heavy metal objects from the top floor of the Briggs Building in Hollister.

Hollister Police Chief Reynoso said that at least one arrest has been made in connection to one of those cases.

Reynoso said the ordinance will give the police officers the tools to cite people misusing the parking lot.

“In the past, the officers would show up and if they were doing anything wrong at the moment there was no legal action we could take ... besides asking them to leave," said Reynoso.

The new ordinance goes into effect on January 2023. Just in time for when the downtown Hollister retail apartments will open for business.

The city will lease a floor of the parking structure to the tenants of the building which is still under construction on Fourth and San Benito street.

The city hopes the ordinance will make residents and visitors feel safe.

“We've had a tremendous amount of economic activity in the downtown area with new restaurants, opening new facilities, new businesses. And we really want to have an area for them to feel safe to come park out. And we feel that this ordinance change accomplishes that,” said Mirrione.

Police to have more power enforcing parking lot misbehavior in Hollister

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