Groton — Groton may raise parking fines and fees for surrendering and holding animals.

The Town Council last week agreed to go forward with the recommendations of town Police Chief L.J. Fusaro to bring fees in line with surrounding towns.

The proposals would raise parking fines from $10 to $20 for violations and increase fines from $25 to $50 for parking in fire lanes. Fines would double, to $40 and $100 respectively, if they were not paid within 14 days, according to a memo by the chief.

Animal control fees also would rise. The cost of surrendering an animal to the town would rise from $15 to $50. Storage fees for animals, which apply 24 hours after an owner has been notified an animal is in custody, would increase from $10 to $15. Quarantine fees, such as those charged when an animal is held after a bite, would rise from $5 to $10. Groton also would establish a newspaper fee of $25 to advertise unclaimed animals, as required by state law. 

Mayor Bruce Flax said his only concern is that a higher surrender fee could discourage people from turning over animals to animal control.

The Town Council also supported the chief's suggestion to charge nonresidents a fingerprint fee of $12 per card and solicitors a permit fee of $25.

The council's vote means the town attorney will draft a revised ordinance and the town will schedule a public hearing.

Parking fines haven't been changed since the mid-1980s and a survey of surrounding towns shows that most have higher parking fines, the memo said.

"There are significantly more cars on our streets and a parking violation fine must be a disincentive to illegal parking," Fusaro wrote. "On occasion, a violator will tell us the fine was worth the convenience."

Town Manager Mark Oefinger told the council, "We have heard more and more with respect to parking, particularly in Mystic, that people will gladly illegally park because the fee’s so cheap, as opposed to going into the art association or someplace else, driving around. That’s not a good thing.”         

Surrounding towns have different parking fee arrangements. Groton City charges $25 per parking violation, with the fine rising to $40 if it's not paid within five days. Stonington charges $25 per violation.

Norwich charges $5 to $100, depending on the type of violation: Parking over the limit at a meter is $5; parking too far from the curb is $15; blocking a driveway is $25 and violation of handicapped parking is $100. Fines double if they're not paid within 48 hours, and police issue an infraction if tickets are not paid within 96 hours.

New London also charges different amounts depending on the violation. For example, exceeding the time limit on the street and other basic violations are $25, but blocking a driveway or fire lane is $50, and violation of handicapped parking is $125. Fines double if they're not paid within 14 days.

d.straszheim@theday.com