Expanded boundaries for metered parking in downtown Chapala will go into effect as of Tuesday, March 19.
The pay-to-park zone, previously activated on Paseo Ramon Corona, is being stretched out two blocks at the south end of Avenida Francisco Madero, between the cross street Lopez Cotilla and the water front, and slightly over one block along Avenida Hidalgo, immediately west of the traffic light.
To avoid being ticketed and fined, motorists who leave their vehicles in these areas any day of the week between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. are required to drop coins into a nearby digital parking meter, retrieve the receipt and place it face-up on the dashboard showing the date and expiration time. Five new meters have been installed on the sidewalks of Madero and another two along Hidalgo.
The fee is set at a minimum of two pesos for the first 20 minutes, and an additional peso for each 10-minute increment on the time limit. Extra time may be added by repeating the payment procedure. Parking is allowed free of charge on official holidays.
Parking spots designated for the exclusive use of handicapped drivers are clearly marked with signs showing a wheel chair symbol and blue lines painted on the curb. These spaces are reserved for vehicles that display an official credential or license plate accrediting disability, but are not exempt from payment. They may also be utilized momentarily by regular vehicles to drop off or pick up disabled passengers.
The regulated zone is monitored by privately employed inspectors who may ticket vehicles for omission of payment or proper display of the meter receipt, exceeding the time limit, or occupying more than one of the individually marked parking spaces. For the time being, fines are payable only at the city hall building. Under a new system to be implemented within about another month’s time, tickets will bear a bar code allowing payment at any branch of the Oxxo convenience store chain.
It should be noted that tickets for parking violations detected elsewhere in the municipality are issued by state traffic police, in the full-page official format of Jalisco’s transit authority. Those fines are payable at Oxxo, 7-Eleven and Soriana outlets and local banks, as well as state tax offices including the Chapala branch, Degollado 306.