Bellingham Hearing Examiner

Bellingham Hearing Examiner Sharon Rice conducted a virtual vehicle impound appeal hearing for Nancy Witter, who challenged the November 14, 2024 towing and impound of a Toyota Camry from Inverness Lane. The case centered on whether proper notice was provided before the vehicle was towed under the city's 72-hour parking ordinance. Witter argued she never received timely notice of the impending tow, with the postal notification arriving on the same day the vehicle was being towed. The city's parking enforcement officer testified that he followed standard procedures, including placing an orange warning sticker on November 10 and personally mailing a notification card due to the Veterans Day holiday. The towing company, Heston Hauling, charged $600.05 for the one-hour-15-minute tow and same-day storage. The hearing revealed systemic questions about notification procedures and public awareness of Bellingham's 72-hour parking rule. The case involved family members using each other's vehicles during a medical emergency, with the car parked in front of a relative's house rather than randomly abandoned. Hearing Examiner Rice will issue a written decision by December 29, 2024. #