Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Parking fines are going up in the City of South Lyon, bringing it in-line with neighboring communities and to motivate residents to move their cars during snow emergencies.

After looking at parking fees in Wixom, Novi, Milford and Brighton, City Manager Paul Zelenak proposed raising fines for handicapped violations from $100 to $125, and all other parking violations from $10 to $25, if paid within seven days.

After a week, fines would increase to $150 for handicapped parking violations and $30 for all other parking violations.

"Some other cities have like $75 for snow emergencies. We just have it as $30 as 'all others.' Another community tows vehicles if they're on a snow emergency. I don't want to tie up an officer for 'x' amount of time to tow vehicles, nor do I want to take anybody's car away," Police Chief Doug Baaki told council.

"It's kind of a happy medium. We have not increased this since I think I've been here, in the last 30 years."

Chief Baaki said the biggest problem in South Lyon is cars on the streets during snow removal.

"It does make the job a whole lot easier for the DPW to plow the streets when they don't have to worry about clipping a car, dodging it, or whatever the case might be," said Mayor Stephen Kennedy.

"The goal, obviously like you said, this hasn't been raised in a period of time. It does need to be enough money to incentivize somebody to go out and move that vehicle too."