The DeKalb City Council is considering proposals for revision of the existing ordinance regulating automobile relocation in response to continuing controversy over towing practices.

Under the current ordinance, the city must issue an annual license before a towing service can participate in relocating cars. License holders are authorized to tow illegally parked vehicles, relocate them and charge the car owner a rate specified by the towing company in its application for the license.

City Manager Mark Stevens said one proposal is to refocus the ordinance so it impacts on areas the city should principally be involved in regulating. Another proposal is for the city to stop regulating relocation altogether, Stevens said.

Colleen Olesen, of Northern Illinois Towing, charges that everything under consideration by the council is for the benefit of car owners, and will reduce protection of the rights of property owners.

Among the proposals seeking only to alter the existing ordinance is one to eliminate the variable rate structure and put in its place a flat fee that could be included on signs warning car owners that parking is restricted.

Olesen said for the city to establish a flat fee to be charged by private businesses is no more appropriate than it would be for citizens to tell city council members they should be paid less.

Olesen said most of the relocating Northern Illinois Towing does involves residential rental property and business property. She said apartment complexes usually have a “sticker system,” and said, “landlords call us in with a list of cars to be towed, along with a description and the license plate number of each car.” Olesen said, in addition, “we sometimes go over to complexes on our own and ask the management if they want the lot patrolled. If they do, we tow whatever cars do not display the proper sticker.”

ich Williams, who manages the Lincolnshire West apartment complex, said if they didn’t watch the lots it would be impossible to provide parking space for their tenants. He said Lincolnshire uses a “sticker” system, and if a car is parked there without one, the owner is given three warning notes and will not be towed until the forth day. He said Lincolnshire issues temporary parking stickers at no charge to make it possible for guests to park there.

Olesen said the number one complaint is from car owners who have been towed from commercial property. “They always claim they were customers, and you know they’re lying through their teeth because you stand right there and watch them walk off. We don’t tow someone unless we’re absolutely sure they did not enter the store.”

Olesen said the second most common argument car owners make is that they were only there for ten minutes. She said this claim also is untrue because they wait 20 minutes before towing a car, as a grace period.

Stevens said owners of rental property and owners of commercial property will be among the parties meeting with city staff to try and hammer out a compromise of the interests involved.