COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

San Mateo Sheriff's Office

DATE:

February 3, 2004

BOARD MEETING DATE:

February 24, 2004

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Sheriff Don Horsley

SUBJECT:

Towing Unlawfully Parked Vehicles For Duration Of People v. Scott Peterson Legal Proceedings

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the Sheriff to remove vehicles that are unlawfully parked in designated areas of county property for duration of People v. Scott Peterson legal proceedings in the San Mateo Superior Court.

Background

During the time that the People v. Scott Peterson trial is pending in the San Mateo Superior Court, there is likely to be an extraordinary demand on parking resources in the vicinity of the County Government Center. The county owns and maintains parking facilities and lots in the vicinity of the County Government Center in which parking is restricted and general public parking is prohibited. These facilities are located in the concurrent jurisdictions of the County of San Mateo and Redwood City.

The facilities include the Juror Parking Lot located off Middlefield Road; the Employee, and Boards and Commissions Lot off Winslow Street; the Car Pool lot located off Winslow Street alongside the County Law Library and to the rear of that building; the Car Pool lot located on Marshall Street between Hamilton and Middlefield; the Motor Pool lot off Winslow Street; the Ground Floor of the County Parking Structure, located at 400 Middlefield Road; and County Center Street parking areas (formerly known as Hamilton Street.). In order to minimize the disruption to the county's usual and routine governmental functions, it will be helpful to ensure that those spaces are kept available for those persons for whose use they have been designated.

Discussion

Vehicle Code §22651 provides that any peace officer who is enforcing parking laws may remove a vehicle when it is parked or left where local authorities, by resolution or ordinance, have prohibited parking and have authorized the removal of vehicles. The statute provides that no vehicle may be removed unless signs are posted giving notice of the removal. The Sheriff has already posted the necessary signs so that drivers have plenty of advance notice of the County's intention to tow.

This action is proposed by resolution rather than ordinance as it involves an immediate and temporary situation.

It is recommended that you authorize the Sheriff or his designee to remove or to have removed any and all vehicles that are unlawfully parked in the areas mentioned in this memorandum. A map showing the areas from which towing is authorized is attached to the resolution.

Vision Alignment

The proposed action keeps the commitment of responsive, effective and collaborative government and goal No. 22, communication, collaborating and developing strategic approaches to government. The City of Redwood City has advised that it is considering similar action, and if both actions are approved by the local agencies, traffic around the County Government Center will be more likely to move smoothly and with minimal disruption.

Fiscal Impact

There is no anticipated fiscal impact.