HOUGHTON -- It’s the dreaded parking ticket.
Many of us have walked up to our cars and seen that ticket on the windshield, and if you park in downtown Houghton without a permit, you will be given a ticket.
“Everybody who lives and works in the city of Houghton should have a parking permit that allows them to park in a designated area without getting a ticket,” said Parking Enforcement Officer Marcy Rajala.
To avoid a ticket, parking officials say always pay attention to the sings, and make sure you have purchased the correct permit if your car will be parked longer than an hour.
Parking enforcement officers use chalk as a "timer" to tell how long you’ve been parked in a space. They make an “X,” and then come back in two hours. If you do receive a ticket, you are required to pay for it, and officials recommend paying for the ticket immediately to avoid the possibility of being booted.
“After six or more tickets, we send out a boot notice, and we give them 10 days to come in and take care of those tickets. If they do not pay or come in to work out a payment plan, then we go ahead and boot their vehicle,” Rajala said.
With snow on the way, officials say there is a snow removal city ordinance in place from now until April that does not allow overnight parking.
“Whether it’s a parking lot or a street, we’re going to be ticketing, starting at $35, and if the snow plows do come out to remove the snow, then we start towing,” said Houghton Chief of Police John Donnelly.
Day parking permits range from $15 to $20 a month and overnight and 24-hour passes are also available.
The Houghton Police Department says they are more than willing to help anyone who may have questions or concerns regarding the parking rules.
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