Getting towed in Arlington could soon get more expensive.
County Board members on Saturday (Oct. 18) are slated to consider advertising a November hearing on a proposal to amend trespass-tow rates across the county.
Both county staff and the Trespass Towing Advisory Board have recommended increasing the maximum rate from the current $155 ($135 base rate plus $20 fuel surcharge) to $210. That is the maximum allowed under revisions to state law that took effect July 1.
Under state legislation, county officials are not obligated to adopt the new maximum rate. The county’s current maximum allowable rate of $135 is below the $150 maximum allowed under previous state law, and Board members rebuffed a staff proposal to raise it to $150 last December.
Revisions to state law also remove localities’ ability to permit temporary fuel surcharges.
While the county manager and Trespass Towing Advisory Board agree on the proposed increase to $210 per tow, they are split on several other recommendations.
The advisory board sought to gain the ability to review appeals of denials, suspensions or revocations of towing-company permits issued by the county government. County staff says the body does not have that power under state law.
The board also recommended a change in county code requiring towing firms to give county officials their towing contracts with property owners “upon request,” as opposed to the current requirement to provide contracts before a new or renewed operating permit is issued.
County staff say towing operators provide contracts to the local government “without any issues.”
“Providing such contracts allows staff to verify the validity of the towing operator to conduct business within Arlington County, thus establishing one of the necessary reasons to award a locality permit,” the staff report says.
In one further component, staff is requesting Board approval of a requirement that a comprehensive list of towing charges be posted in the rear driver’s-side window of all towing vehicles, and that those lists remain visible at all times.
Typically, a request for future advertisement is included on the Board’s consent agenda, where matters that are expected not to generate any opposition or controversy are placed for a single collective vote.
This advertisement request, however, has been slated for its own public hearing at the Oct. 18 meeting. That suggests either County Board members or the public would like to weigh in on it before a vote is taken.
The Trespass Towing Advisory Board is a three-member panel advising county officials on towing issues. It consists of one member of the public and one member each representing the towing industry and Arlington County Police Department.
