§ 86-148. Payment prerequisite to use of space; exceptions.

(a)

Whenever a vehicle shall be parked in a space adjacent to which there is a parking meter or sign displaying mobile payment instructions (including spaces located in parking garages and surface lots), the owner or operator of such vehicle shall, after entering the parking space, immediately pay the appropriate fee in a form of payment approved by the director, utilizing the parking meter or other parking system approved by the director, and such parking space may then be used by such vehicle during the provided parking time limit.

(b)

The director is authorized to charge a transaction fee in order to recover the cost associated with accepting an approved form of payment, including, without limitation, merchant services processing fees, gateway fees, communication fees, and software services fees. Merchant services processing fees associated with the acceptance of credit cards shall be assessed in accordance with applicable local and state law.

(c)

Whenever an official marked and/or licensed vehicle of a department of the city, parish, state, or federal government is parked in a metered zone for official business, the operator shall not be required to pay a fee for the use of the parking space; provided, however, that no such vehicle shall be parked in the same space beyond the time limit for which parking is lawfully permitted in the parking meter zone in which such meter is located. The representative receiving a parking notice of civil violation, while performing official duties, shall be required to submit written evidence substantiating the same to the adjudication bureau. Upon receipt of proper evidence, the hearing officer shall review the evidence and immediately render a decision.

(Ord. No. O-149-2012, § 2, 7-17-12; Ord. No. O-116-2017, § 9, 7-11-2017)