📋 Committee Meeting
Hearing Examiner
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Meeting Summary
The City of Bellingham Hearing Examiner conducted a vehicle impound appeal hearing for Hannah Hurley, who contested both the validity of her vehicle's impoundment and the associated towing and storage fees totaling $876.36. Hurley's 2015 Subaru Crosstrek was impounded on May 8, 2025, from Cedar Street in a residential permit zone near Western Washington University.
The case centered on a bureaucratic gap: Hurley had purchased and displayed a valid residential parking permit but failed to update her license plate information with the city when she changed from Utah to Washington registration in January 2025. Code Compliance Officer Stephanie Mays explained that while Hurley had a valid permit sticker, it was improperly placed in the front windshield rather than the required rear location, and the license plate scan showed no active permit because her new Washington plate wasn't registered in the system.
The impoundment occurred while Hurley was on a two-week vacation (April 26 - May 11), meaning she was unable to see or respond to two parking tickets issued on April 28 and May 8. The hearing revealed systemic challenges in the city's transition from physical sticker-based to digital license plate-based parking enforcement, where residents must maintain both proper sticker placement and current license plate registration.
Hearing Examiner Sharon Rice took the matter under advisement, with a written decision due by June 11, 2025, within the required 10 business days.
Study Guide
## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE
**Meeting ID:** BEL-HEX-2025-05-28
### Meeting Overview
The City of Bellingham Hearing Examiner conducted a vehicle impound appeal hearing on May 28, 2025, presided over by contract Hearing Examiner Sharon Rice. The case involved Hannah Hurley contesting the impound of her 2015 Subaru Crosstrek and associated towing/storage fees totaling $876.36 from a residential parking zone violation.
### Key Terms and Concepts
**Residential Parking Zone (RPZ):** Special parking areas around Western Washington University designated for residents only, requiring permits to park legally. Designed to prevent college students from taking up residential parking spaces.
**Hearing Examiner:** An independent contract attorney who hears appeals of city decisions, including parking violations and impounds. Not a city employee, works on contract to provide impartial hearings.
**Burden of Proof:** In impound appeals, the person appealing (appellant) must prove their case - the city doesn't have to prove the impound was valid.
**Posted Tow-Away Zone:** An area where vehicles can be impounded immediately without warning tickets, as long as proper signage is posted.
**License Plate Scanning:** Modern enforcement method where officers scan license plates to check if vehicles have valid permits, rather than relying solely on visible stickers.
**72-Hour Rule:** City ordinance requiring vehicles to move every 72 hours or risk being impounded as abandoned, even with valid permits.
**Class A Tow Truck:** Heavy-duty towing vehicle that can charge $400/hour under Washington State Patrol contracts.
**Digital Permit System:** New system allowing residents to have valid permits without displaying physical stickers, tracked by license plate numbers.
### Key People at This Meeting
| Name | Role / Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Sharon Rice | Contract Hearing Examiner |
| Hannah Hurley | Appellant (vehicle owner) |
| Stephanie Mays | Code Compliance Officer, City of Bellingham |
| Chris Heston | Owner, Heston Hauling and Heston Towing |
| Ms. Bowker | Hearing Clerk (not present, mentioned) |
### Background Context
This case highlights common challenges in residential parking enforcement around universities. The Cedar Street/North Forest area near Western Washington University has ongoing parking problems with college students using residential spaces meant for neighborhood residents. The city uses a complaint-based enforcement system, responding when residents report violations.
Since January 2025, this three-block area alone generated 178 parking tickets, showing the scope of the problem. The city has moved to digital permit tracking while still allowing physical stickers, creating potential confusion for residents about proper procedures.
The case also demonstrates how administrative changes (like new license plates) can inadvertently put law-abiding residents in violation, even when they believe they're following the rules.
### What Happened — The Short Version
Hannah Hurley moved to North Garden Street in October 2024 and got a residential parking permit. She placed the sticker in her windshield (wrong location) and later changed her Utah license plate to Washington without updating the permit system. While she was on vacation April 26-May 11, 2025, her car was ticketed twice and then impounded on May 8 for not having a valid permit associated with the current license plate. She paid $876.36 in towing/storage fees plus two $30 parking tickets, then appealed the impound. The hearing examiner will issue a written decision by June 11, 2025.
### What to Watch Next
- Written decision due by June 11, 2025, from Hearing Examiner Rice
- Potential policy clarifications about permit transfer procedures when license plates change
- Ongoing enforcement actions in the Cedar Street/North Forest residential parking zone
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