Police Towing Ordinance Could Be Updated

The Pasadena City Council will consider directing the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance within 60 days to amend the Police Towing Franchise process and adjust towing and storage fees, following a recommendation to update the City’s towing policies and fee structure.

The proposed changes involve amending the Pasadena Municipal Code, which governs the Police Vehicle Towing Franchise System.

The City Council’s Finance Committee is scheduled to hear the item on Monday, before the City Council meeting.

The original ordinance, adopted in 1997, set standards for vehicle towing, impounds, post-collision street sweeps, and vehicle storage services. However, since parking enforcement is now managed by the Department of Transportation rather than the Police Department, the amendment will allow police towing franchisees to assist with parking enforcement operations.

The current system requires annual applications for police towing franchises with a one-year term and a renewable four-year option. The new proposal recommends changing the franchise term to three years without renewals to streamline the process and reduce administrative burdens.

In addition, the City Council is considering an adjustment to the impound and storage rates for towing services, which have not been updated since 2018.

The proposed changes include increasing the vehicle tow fee from $151 to $180 per hour and the daily storage fee from $42 to $50. These new rates would bring Pasadena in line with surrounding areas, such as the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Highway Patrol, which charge higher rates for similar services.

The fee increases are necessary to address inflation and rising operational costs for towing services. City staff recommend tying future fee adjustments to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to ensure that the rates remain aligned with market conditions. The current non-exclusive police towing franchise fee, set at $22,500 annually, will remain unchanged.