Private parking operators told to comply with rules

Private parking operators told to comply with rules

JAKARTA (JP): City administration will start on Wednesday a
one-month campaign to persuade privately-run parking operators to
comply with all city regulations regarding parking fees and
business licenses, officials said on Tuesday.

"The private parking lots will have until next Monday to
install new signboards and change their computer and ticketing
systems in accordance with parking fees set by the city
administration," Assistant to City Secretary on Administration
Affairs Ma'mun Amin said at City Hall.

"We understand that they need time to make all of the
replacements, although we told them earlier. We'll give them more
time as it's not easy to replace signboards and computer
systems," he added.

Ma'mun emphasized that the private parking lots were
considered additional facilities required by the City Bylaw
No.4/1975 on multi-story building requirements.

"This means that the management cannot set parking fees just
like that. It will be different if they build a structure used
solely for parking and where it is imperative they get a return
on their investment," he said.

Last Friday Governor Sutiyoso ordered that all private parking
lots need to charge the tenants fees similar to those fees set by
the city administration, as stipulated in Gubernatorial Decree
No. 1698/1999 on off-street parking fees.

They must do so by May 1.

The decree stipulates a varied and complex way of charging
fees. In general, it charges Rp 1,000 (13 US cents) for the first
hour in busy areas and Rp 500 in less busy areas.

Fees for the consecutive hours depend on the main function of
the lots, such as offices, or hotels and shopping centers.

"Perhaps we have to revise the fee structure. I myself get
confused with it sometimes," Ma'mun said.

Besides the gubernatorial decree, City Bylaw No.5/1999 on
parking stipulates that the private parking operators have to
share their revenues with the city administration at 25 to 35
percent.

Ma'mun, however, said that the city administration has yet to
hold talks on revenue sharing as stipulated by the city bylaws.

"We are giving the companies more time before setting the
revenue sharing. Let them concentrate on the new parking fees and
process their licenses first," he said.

He also said that the next stage was to register all private
parking lots in the city.

"They must register their parking lots with the City Parking
Agency and get proper licenses starting next Monday," he added.

Agency's deputy head Bubung Burhana said city administration
had issued 323 licenses since May 24, 1998.

"The procedure to get the license is simple and cost-free,
provided the companies prepared all required documents," he said.

"We will monitor all the private parking lots whether they
comply with the regulations or not. For those who fail to do so,
we'll send warning letters every week," Bubung added.

Ma'mun stated that by June 1 all parking lots were expected to
comply with the regulations.

"We'll take any necessary legal actions to enforce them," he
said, while denying that the city administration lacked power to
enforce the regulations. (nvn)