Cars Parked in Violation of Red Flag Alerts will be Towed, City Says

All car owners are advised that your vehicle will be towed and it will cost you more than $300 to get it back if you park your car on City streets within the pre-designated Red Flag zones in violation of the City’s Municipal Code once a Red Flag Alert is declared.

No more warnings notices or citation-only consequences. Towing and impounding will occur during the next Red Flag Alert as declared by the Pasadena Fire Chief, or designee, to ensure City streets remain open for emergency access and evacuations. Parking restrictions will be enforced for the duration of the entire Red Flag Alert on a 24/7 basis.

Most pre-designated Red Flag areas are in and around the Arroyo Seco area of West Pasadena, plus some foothill areas of East Pasadena. If you live on a hillside or foothill area of Pasadena, especially on a narrow road, chances are good that you live in a Red Flag zone. If you are not sure if your home is in a Red Flag zone, go to www.cityofpasadena.net/Fire/Red_Flag or call (626) 744-7311 to find out.

Once declared, special “Red Flag” signs will be visible at key entry points into or out of those pre-designated neighborhoods. All vehicles in Red Flag zones must be removed from the impacted streets and parked on a driveway, in a garage, or at another location outside the zones for the entire duration of the Red Flag Alert. Vehicles with special disabled placards or license plates ARE NOT EXEMPT and will be towed too.

Red Flag notices also will be sent to residents and others who have signed up for emergency alerts through the Pasadena Local Emergency Alert System, or PLEAS. PLEAS uses both text and voice messages to keep residents and those who work or attend college in Pasadena informed about citywide or major emergencies. Phone subscribers will receive a voice message with the latest information and safety instructions—that must be listened to in its entirety or the system will call you back. Register today online at www.cityofpasadena.net/Fire/PLEAS.

Red Flag Alerts are determined primarily by the prevailing weather conditions of high heat, low humidity, winds and other environmental conditions that are beyond the control of the Fire Department. Duration of each Red Flag Alert is different and not controlled by the department. Scientists from the National Weather Service provide the information that is used by emergency personnel and the news media.

Due to the historic, four-year drought, most landscaping—especially in the mountains and foothills and the so-called “wildland interface” between homes and open space adjacent to Pasadena—is extremely dry and will rapidly burn once ignited. It is absolutely critical in order to save lives and protect property that the Fire Department and other emergency personnel have quick and unobstructed access into Red Flag zones and residents can easily evacuate.

Since 2009, Pasadena Municipal Code Section 10.65 prohibits parking on all posted, pre-designated narrow roads and streets in Red Flag zones during official Red Flag Alerts. The City has previously issued warning notices and tickets, but not towed cars per authority under the Municipal Code. During the last Red Flag Alert, more than 300 cars were cited.

Once a vehicle is towed, the registered owner must visit the City Department of Transportation’s Parking Office, 221 E. Walnut St, Room 199, open only Monday through Friday, to pay the $119 release fee, plus a $46.90 citation fee and any other outstanding citation fees before the City will issue a “release order.” The City’s Parking Office is open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday; 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and closed Saturday and Sunday.

If your car is towed on a weekend, the soonest you will be able to get a release order from the City is Monday, adding additional storage costs to pay at the tow yard. Vehicles will only be released to the vehicle’s registered owner, or his or her legal designee who has with a notarized letter from the registered owner authorizing release of the vehicle into their custody.

The owner must take the release order to the tow yard, pay the towing company’s “tow fee” of $132, plus a storage fee of $32 per day, before the vehicle is returned to their possession. Be prepared to show your valid driver’s license, and to pay cash or by credit card to the City and the tow company. The total cost for a tow, citation and one-day storage is about $330. The cost goes up higher for every day of storage that your vehicle is impounded and/or if you have other outstanding citations.

The City contracts with three towing companies to remove vehicles, including:

• A-Car Auto Towing, 1160 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, CA. 91106, (626) 356-3094, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,Saturday, 8 a.m. to Noon and closed Sunday.
• J & M Auto Towing, 927 S. Fremont Ave., Alhambra, CA. 91803, (626) 289-3288, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,Saturday, 8 a.m. to Noon and closed Sunday.
• Master Auto Towing, 640 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106, (626) 449-8321, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and closed Sunday.

All three currently offer an “after-hours” release for an additional $61.50 per vehicle. Hours of operation subject to change and owners should call the company first to verify operating hours and availability.

Tow fees and citations can be appealed, but all fees must be paid in advance. Should you wish to appeal, contact the Parking Office in person.

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