Drivers face $350 fines as Leaf Day rule goes into effect – and cars will be towed street by street through December

CAR owners face a $350 fine after a new public parking rule went into effect. Parking enforcement officials have warned drivers in Portland , Oregon , to remember where they park their vehicles as owners will start facing citations for violating Leaf Day service beginning Monday. From November 9 to the end of December, Portland Bureau of Transportation crews will begin clearing leaves along bike lanes and sidewalks.

Parking enforcement officials began issuing fines for those who did not move their vehicles for Leaf Day services. Car owners in specific neighborhoods must move their vehicles off the street for officials to sweep the leaves. There are 52 designated leaf districts across Portland: Read more in The U.



S. Sun Northwest: Districts NW 2, NW 3, NW 4, NW 6, NW 7, NW 8, NW9 Southwest: Districts SW 1 and SW 2 Sullivan's Gulch in Northeast: District NE 14 Drivers who fail to move their vehicles on the designated cleaning day will face an $85 citation and a $264 towing fee. Owners of larger vehicles face receiving a $337 towing fine.

Storage fees will accrue daily for drivers whose vehicles are towed. Most read in Motors "We are not able to provide street sweeping on residential streets citywide anymore with budget cuts," a Portland Bureau of Transportation spokesperson told NBC affiliate KGW . "We provide notice in advance.

We've sent more than 3,000 fliers in the mail to addresses throughout the leaf district." The spokesperson warned car owners who reside in leaf service zones to move their vehicles on specific cleaning dates. The Portland Bureau of Transportation also encouraged people in designated zones to help pile leaves into piles along the street to help prevent clogged street drains or slick surfaces.

"It's best to keep those leaf piles about one foot from the curb, and that will help equipment get the cleanest sweep possible," the spokesperson added. Street sweeping will not be in effect from Thanksgiving Day to November 30. Residents in designated leaf districts can sign up for the online notification for reminders at the city of Portland's website .

Folks can also check out the city's full Leaf Day service schedule online Cleaning crews will go through designated neighborhoods every day until December 21. Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle. If your vehicle is towed after parking in a "No Parking" zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.

Steps to take when your car is towed: Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted "No Parking" sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial. Locate the vehicle.

Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail. Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative. Pay the fees.

Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day. If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps: Be prompt - many states have a small window of time where it's acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle. Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable.

The more evidence, the better. Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state. Try speaking with the towing company.

Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly. Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.

Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer. Source: Oregon Department of Justice , National General , Rak Law Firm.