Jan 14, 2009 4:13 am US/Central
More Valet Cars To Park Off-Street
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
Valet companies serving Chicago restaurants, bars and hotels would be required to provide enough off-street parking spaces to serve 15 percent of the establishment's capacity, under a watered-down ordinance approved by the City Council Tuesday.
Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) said he agreed to soften the requirement – from his original demand for 25 percent – under pressure from Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) and his colleagues in the Illinois Restaurant Association.
Instead of standing firm, Reilly agreed to raise the current 10 percent requirement to just 15 percent and see if that's enough to stop the most flagrant abuses.
"The 25 percent requirement, it was proven to me by members of the restaurant industry, would pose a significant economic burden -- especially in this tough economic climate," Reilly said.
Fifteen percent off-street parking "is an appropriate level that should work to address the need to get more cars off of the metered parking spots and into garages, while not placing an undue burden on the industry," the alderman said.
Just last month, Reilly insisted that a highly competitive valet industry could easily accommodate the 25 percent requirement.
Tunney praised Reilly for his willingness to bend, instead of standing firm and "letting the bureaucracy figure it out."
Complaints abound about valet parking companies that damage vehicles, monopolize metered spaces and park cars illegally, saddling unsuspecting motorists with thickets.
Reilly's crackdown further requires valet companies to obtain $1 million worth of insurance for both liability and property damage. Fines for allowing employees to park cars without a valid license -- from a $100 minimum and $500 ceiling to at least $500 and as much as $1,000.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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