City Council OKs parking ordinance

Parking lot owners in Salt Lake City will have to post better signs alerting drivers that they could be towed or booted if they park illegally.

The new ordinance regulating booting and towing passed the City Council in a 6-to-1 vote Tuesday. The change was proposed by Mayor Rocky Anderson, who had also wanted to limit the amount companies could charge for booting cars.

Anderson wanted a limit at $50, but the council instead decided $80 was a better figure.

While he disagreed with the council's decision on the cost, Anderson said he would sign the law, deeming it better than the city's current lack of oversight on booting and towing companies.

The mayor has maintained that booting company employees lurk around downtown waiting for people to park illegally and then pounce. The mayor wants better regulations because he believes the practice dissuades people from coming back to downtown.