The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office is getting ready to exercise its new muscle when it comes to issuing parking tickets in The Villages.
The Sumter County Commission last week approved an ordinance that gives greater powers of enforcement to sheriff’s deputies.
Within Sumter County, The Villages has been a hotspot for parking violations as has been documented repeatedly in the Bad Parking series which appears frequently in Villages-News.com.
Beginning July 28, the sheriff’s office will begin issuing parking warning tickets to violators. Warning tickets will be issued over a two-week period.
The warning tickets are a way to help make Villagers aware of the ordinance, said Lt. Robert Siemer, District commander for The Villages.
In mid-August, tickets with fines will be issued to parking violators.
The fines are:
• Handicap parking violations – $250
• Fire hyrdrant/fire lane violations – $35
• All other violations – $25
• Late payment – $10
Details about the parking ordinance can be found at Sumter County parking ordinance.