Parking illegally in spaces reserved for people with disabilities just became considerably more expensive in Durango.
City Council approved an updated parking violations fine schedule earlier this month that more than doubles the fine for parking in a space reserved for individuals with disabilities.
An ordinance with the updated fine schedule includes 10 new fines and eliminates two previous fines ‒ “parked in a disabled zone” and “commercial vehicle in a disabled zone” ‒ ranging in fines of up to $1,032 depending on the violation.
The fine for parking in a disabled zone without the proper placard was previously $125, which would become $250 if the fine was not paid within 30 days. The fine for parking a commercial vehicle in a disabled zone started at $250 and was raised to $500 after 30 days.
No second or third violations existed in the previous parking violation fine schedule. The updated schedule includes first, second and third offenses, as well as fines for blocking disabled zones that also increase in cost the more violations are accumulated.
City Parking Operations Manager Tracy Schauinger said in a City Council study session the revised fine schedule is based on changes to the state of Colorado’s parking code called “Parking Privileges for Persons with Disabilities.”
The updated fine schedule used to be discretionary for municipalities but is now mandated by the state, according to the ordinance, which also acknowledged the higher fine rates and stated it is the city’s duty to inform the public of the rate changes.
City Council passed a resolution last year adopting those revisions into its city code, and passed an ordinance solidifying the new fine schedule on Feb. 3.
The new fines and violations are:
- $382 for a first offense of parking in a disabled zone.
- $632 for a second offense of parking in a disabled zone.
- $1,032 for a third offense of parking in a disabled zone.
- $182 for a first offense of parking a commercial vehicle in a disabled zone, and $332 if the fine is not paid within 30 days.
- A fine for blocking a disabled zone on first offense is $382.
- A second offense of blocking a disabled zone carries a fine of $632.
- A third offense of blocking a disabled zone carries a fine of $1,032.
- Using a fraudulent or altered disabled placard carries a fine of $382 for a first offense.
- On second offense, a fraudulent or altered disabled placard nets a fine of $632.
- A third offense of using a fraudulent or altered disabled placard carries a fine of $1,032.
Schauinger said a portion of collected fines will contribute to the state’s Disability Parking Education and Enforcement Fund.
Disabled parking violations are not common within the city of Durango. 2025 parking division data provided by Tom Sluis, city spokesman, showed 159 such violations ‒ or less than 1% of all parking violations ‒ were issued last year.
Parking in a disabled zone accounted for 154 of the violations, while commercial vehicles parked in disabled zones made up the remaining five violations. Sixty-six of the citations, including four of the commercial citations, were dismissed at the service window in City Hall. Another nine citations were dismissed by the city through an appeals process, and 70 citations were paid in full.
Schauinger said in a written note attached to the data provided by Sluis that the citations were likely issued because a disabled placard was “non existent, not fully visible, or expired.”
cburney@durangoherald.com
