Evening star., 1936-08-20
LICENSING URGED
FOR CAR PARKING
LOTS IN CAPITAL
Assistant Corporation Coun.
sci Asks Fee Ranging
From $40 to $25.
REGULATION PROPOSED
FOR FIRE PROTECTION
Garages and Gasoline Stations
Also Would Have to Pay
Parking Permit Fee.

Proposals for licensing and regu-
lation of parking lots and other places,
such as gasoline stations and garages,
where automobiles are parked for a
consideration, were placed before the
Commissioners today by the District
License Committee.
A graduated license fee, ranging
from $40 to S25, was recommended
by the group, headed by Edward W.
Thomas, assistant corporation coun-
the cost of necessary inspection and
not serve as revenue measure.
The Commissioners were urged also
to adopt regulations concerning fire
protection arrangements and drain
age, and to give police definite power
Of inspection of all such premises and
records of parked cars during business
hours.
The proposal is even more compre-
hensive. 1t provides for the revoca-
ton or suspension of parking licenses
if the licenSee or the manager makes
a practice of parking vehicles on pub
lie space after accepting them on his
lot.
Seek to Protect Owners.
The committee also seeks to set up
protection for car owners whose auto
mobiles are damaged or lost" while in
the custody of parking lot operator.
Permits could be revoked or suspended
~ tho our,ar ~ y,,opooor fa;1ad ~ eaf.
isfy any judgment obtained against
him for damage or loss of the automo-
bile.
The report results from moves by
number of District officials to estab-
lish standards for parking lot opera
ton, which were inspired by survey
ordered by Engineer Commissioner
Dan I. Sultan some months ago.
I'm view of the fact that your
Traffic Planning Committee believes
that street parking is reaching the
saturation point and therefore private
and off-street parking facilities should
be encouraged" the Commissioners
were told, ''it has not been deemed
necessary to consider the problem Of
loss of tax revenue through razing
o. buildings.
The license law is not a revenue
measure. Likewise. your committee
finds no present authority to require
parking establishments to furnish
surety or other bonds. Unless or un-
til such business is declared to be a
public utility, the fees charged or the
insurance features are not relevant
matters at the present time"
Effective November 1.
The proposed order would be effec-
tive November /. Where the area of
the parking place was 1000 square
feet or less, the annual fee would be
$40: where from 400 to 5000 square
feet in size the fee would be SIS. and
where the area exceeded 10000 square
feet it would be SIS.
Under the proposed regulations the
written application for license would
have to state the ownership Of the
business, the manager, capacity Of the
place, nature of the fence or other
structure marking the division between
private ana PUBIC property ana tne
kind of Office building, which. if
wooden. could not be more than 40
square feet in area.
A proposed police regulation would
require operators OF garages to file
written applications giving data as to
their buildings and fire protection ar
rangements. Additional regulations
would be framed by the Highway De-
partment 20 require adequate drainage
facilities and proper ground covering.
Garages and filling stations which
have licenses to sell gasoline would
have to pay the parking lot fee in
addition to that for the other business.
Thomas explained this point is fully
covered in the license act.
In addition to Thomas, members of
the committee are Director of Inspec-
ton Hugh P. Orn, Assistant Supt. of
Police L. I. H. Edwards, Supt. of Lii
censes Wade Coombs, Traffic Director
William A. Van Duzer and Fire Mar
shall Calvin G. LAUDER.