A parking enforcement system used by the City of Galveston is drawing complaints from residents who say valid exemptions are being missed, resulting in parking citations and, in some cases, escalation to collections.
Several residents told KGTX 7 Investigates they received parking citations despite displaying valid handicap placards or residential parking permits.
Out of Town Visitor
Galveston resident Rich Pinkston said a friend visiting from Dallas parked on the Seawall while displaying a valid handicap placard. Pinkston said weeks later, his friend received a parking citation by mail that included photos of the vehicle’s license plate, but did not show the handicap placard hanging in the windshield.
By the time the citation arrived, Pinkston said his friend had already returned to Dallas and was unable to come back to Galveston to present the placard in person, which he said was required to have the ticket dismissed. Pinkston said he ultimately paid the $32 citation himself.
“The amount wasn’t the issue. It was the principle of it,” Pinkston said. “I think it’s a black eye on Galveston for tourists.”
A Missed Permit
Jorge Gonzalez, who lives near Ball High School, said he received a parking citation outside his home on December 10 despite having a valid residential parking permit. Gonzalez said it took approximately two weeks to resolve the citation.
No Citation Received
Melissa Carwile said her experience escalated further. Carwile said she received a letter from an attorney stating she owed more than $58 and that the matter had been sent to collections, referencing a parking citation allegedly issued months earlier. Carwile said she never received a parking ticket at the time of the alleged violation.
Carwile said a parking attendant later told her, “How is our computer going to know if you had a placard hanging in the window?”
Carwile said she plans to go to the city to present her handicap placard to have the citation dismissed, but said she does not believe she should be required to do so. She said she has filed complaints alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and federal civil rights protections.
“You’re discriminating against people with a disability,” Carwile said.
City Marshal’s Response
In a written response to KGTX 7 Investigates, the Galveston Marshal’s Office explained that parking enforcement procedures differ depending on location.
According to the Marshal’s Office, most parking violations across the city are enforced in person, with parking officials physically placing citations on vehicle windshields after observing violations. For paid parking areas downtown and at UTMB, officials visually check for valid handicap placards and do not issue over-parking citations when a placard is displayed.
However, the Marshal’s Office confirmed that over-parking citations along Seawall Boulevard are issued by mail using license plate reader technology. Parking official vehicles scan license plates and compare them against the PayByPhone database to determine whether a vehicle has an active paid session or annual pass.
If the system does not detect payment, the technology captures photos of the rear of the vehicle and logs the time of the alleged violation. Parking officials later review the images and verify whether the license plate is exempt from paid parking before a citation is issued.
The Marshal’s Office acknowledged that the license plate reader technology recognizes license plates only and does not recognize handicap placards displayed inside vehicles.
Regarding dismissal of citations, the Marshal’s Office said individuals who believe a citation was issued in error are directed to contact the Galveston Municipal Court. The court requires submission of the applicable handicap placard and the driver’s license of the registered placard holder. If an individual is unable to appear in person, arrangements may be made to submit documentation electronically for review.
The Marshal’s Office also said a message will be added to the Notice of Parking Violation instructing vehicle owners who displayed a valid handicap placard at the time of the incident to contact the Municipal Court for handling.
Municipal Court’s Response
To better understand how citations escalate to collections, KGTX 7 Investigates also contacted the Galveston Municipal Court.
In a written response, court clerk Gladys Lopez said once a citation is issued, the registered owner of the vehicle has 21 days to respond. Failure to respond results in a default order. Citations in default for more than 60 days are eligible to be sent to collections, with files transferred electronically once per month.
Lopez said residents do not need to contact the collections agency directly if a citation is later paid or dismissed, and that updates are handled electronically by the court. She also confirmed the court receives complaints about citations being sent to collections and addresses them on a case-by-case basis.
Court procedures indicate that even after a citation is dismissed, it may remain in collections until the next monthly update is processed.
Where it Stands
Residents who spoke with KGTX 7 Investigates said they were unaware citations had been issued until they received letters from attorneys or collection agencies.
For residents affected, the concern is not limited to the cost of a citation, but the time and effort required to resolve what they say is a known limitation of the Seawall enforcement system.
Photo: Public Domain
KGTX 7 Galveston County 