[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Commission of the City of Royal Oak 12-20-1948
by Ord. No. 558. Amendments noted where applicable.]
It is hereby determined and declared to be necessary for the public
benefit and welfare of the City of Royal Oak, Michigan, to acquire, improve,
enlarge, extend and operate automobile parking facilities for the use of the
public under the provisions of Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1947,[1] and to combine all municipal revenue-producing automobile parking
facilities, including both street parking and off-street parking, into one
system to be known as the "automobile parking system," and to be operated
on a utility-rate basis under the provisions of Act 94, Public Acts of Michigan,
1933, as amended.[2]
From and after the effective date of this chapter, all automobile parking
facilities owned and/or operated by said City for the benefit of the public
and from which revenue is derived shall be operated and maintained as one
system on a utility-rate basis, to be known as the "automobile parking system,"
which shall include all existing parking meters, parking lots, garages, buildings,
and all facilities, equipment and accessories used or useful in connection
therewith, as well as all additional parking meters, parking lots, garages,
buildings and other facilities and equipment hereafter acquired or erected
for public use for parking purposes and for the use of which rates and charges
shall be made; provided, however, revenues from the present existing parking
meters shall not belong to said automobile parking system until June 1, 1949,
and thereafter.
It is hereby determined and declared to be necessary for the public
benefit and welfare of said City to acquire and construct additional parking
lots and facilities as extensions and improvements to said automobile parking
system, and to operate and maintain said automobile parking system and all
such extensions and improvements thereto.
The automobile parking system and its administration, operation and
maintenance shall be under the control of the City Manager, and whenever it
becomes necessary or advisable for the greater efficiency of such system,
to create a separate department for its active management, the City Manager
shall appoint a Director of the automobile parking system to whom may be delegated
the active management thereof. The City Commission may appoint a Public Parking
Committee consisting of at least one member of the City Commission and two
or more other persons to act in advisory capacity to the City Manager or the
Director of the automobile parking system in determining the general policies
of the system, particularly in relation to the general public and the commercial
interests of the City.
It shall be the duty of the City Manager or the Director of the automobile
parking system to maintain said system in good repair and working order and
operate the same efficiently. He shall see that the rates and charges as fixed
by the City Commission for all services supplied by the system are collected
and turned over to the City Treasurer.
The schedule of rates and charges to be collected for any parking or
other services of the system shall be fixed from time to time by resolution
of the City Commission, which resolution shall give the time of the taking
effect of such rates and charges. The present parking meter charges or any
other parking charges shall remain in effect until changed by resolution as
above provided.
The Director of Finance shall keep the proper records of the receipts
and disbursements appertaining to the automobile parking system.
The revenues of the automobile parking system shall be used as follows:
A.
Payment of all expenses of administration, operation
and maintenance of the system. Expense of operation shall be deemed to include
the salaries of any police officers, employees of the Department of Public
Works and all others whose time is largely or wholly spent in connection with
the operation of the automobile parking system.
B.
Payment of such amounts as may be appropriated therefrom
by the City Commission for the purpose of purchasing additional land, constructing
buildings, improving the property used by said system and other capital expenses
which may be necessary.
The City may, from time to time by ordinance or resolution, issue bonds
or any other evidence of indebtedness in such amounts and for such time, and
according to such terms as may be deemed necessary and proper, for the purpose
of acquiring, or purchasing, any lands needed for the purpose of public parking,
and may acquire or construct any buildings or other facilities and improvements
necessary for such purpose, and may pledge the revenues of the system or a
portion thereof for the payment of such bonds or any other evidence of indebtedness
and interest thereon, and mortgage or pledge all or any part of the parking
facilities.
The City Commission may, by ordinance or resolution, limit the time
of parking in any public parking lot, building or other public place where
parking is permitted, and the City Manager or his representative shall post
suitable signs indicating such parking time limits and the parking spaces
where the same are in effect. Rules and regulations may be prescribed from
time to time by the City Manager for the governance of any public parking
lots and facilities.
Anyone violating any of the rules or ordinances of the City of Royal
Oak relative to parking shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and may be
punished by fine not exceeding $300 or imprisonment not exceeding 90 days
in the City prison or county jail.
This chapter is declared necessary to relieve traffic congestion in
the City of Royal Oak, to better facilitate the use of the streets for public
travel and to furnish better parking accommodations for the general public.
