Seattle Police insist abandoned cars taking valuable parking spaces a concern

For the last six weeks, what appears to be a broken down van has been parked outside the offices of Bonneville Seattle, home of KIRO Radio, 710 ESPN Seattle, KTTH and My Northwest.com, despite official notice warning the owner to move it or face towing.

City law prohibits vehicles from remaining in the same spot for more than 72 hours.

It’s emblematic of a longstanding but growing problem around the city, as parking becomes harder to come by in denser neighborhoods.

Detective Drew Fowler with the Seattle Police Department says while it’s not a top priority, officers and parking enforcement will respond to complaints.

“They do have to independently verify that the vehicle has in fact been there for more than 72 hours,” Fowler said. “At that point an officer is authorized to impound a vehicle for the 72 hour notice &#8212 not mandated to. It’s all subject to discretion.”

That discretion can lead to vehicles remaining on the street well beyond the time limit set on notification stickers attached to the windshield.

Fowler acknowledges in many cases the vehicles are disabled, and the owners often challenged to come up with the money to have them repaired. But he insists police are not ignoring the widespread problem. And he encourages residents or businesses to either call the city’s dedicated abandoned vehicle line or report it via the police website.

“There is always a degree of triage now if there’s a violent crime we’ll certainly go there before a parking complaint but keeping the streets clear is a priority as well,” he said.

To report an abandoned vehicle, call the Seattle Police Department Abandoned Vehicles Hotline at (206) 684-8763.