Darian Nagle-Gamm; Transportation Services Director
Chris O'Brien; Deputy City Manager
Jennifer Schwickerath; First Assistant City Attorney
Annual fixed operating costs are estimated at $15,471 for four devices ($3,600 per device plus a $1,071 annual API integration fee) plus staff time, to be offset by the proposed $50 Barnacle fee.
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For decades, nonpayment of parking citations above an established threshold of accumulated fines was addressed through a towing program. The Parking Division proposes implementing the Barnacle windshield-mounted immobilization device and establishing a $50 Barnacle fee as an alternative to traditional towing for vehicles with outstanding parking citations. Compared to towing, the Barnacle lowers the cost to vehicle owners by up to 80 percent, allows 24/7 on-site self-release, frees more than 860 hours of staff time each year, reduces stress for the vehicle driver, and reduces towing and vehicle recovery related emissions. The proposal advances the Transportation Services mission of a healthy, vibrant and well-maintained downtown that is accessible to all, and supports the City’s strategic plan and climate action goals.
Effective parking enforcement is essential in Downtown Iowa City to ensure turnover and maintain convenient access to local businesses and the University of Iowa in a high-demand area with limited parking availability. Under existing City Code, a vehicle with a minimum of $150 in outstanding citations is eligible for impoundment. In FY25, 810 vehicles were towed and 1,023 were missed due to staff availability or drive-offs, and 71 left before a tow truck arrived. Tow trucks had an average response time of 83 minutes, and owners must travel approximately 10 miles to the vendor’s impound lot in Tiffin, which is not served by public transit. Recovering a towed vehicle costs owners between $230 and $320 in towing and storage fees, in addition to their citation fines.
The Parking Division proposes implementing the Barnacle windshield-mounted immobilization device and establishing a $50 Barnacle fee as an alternative to traditional towing for vehicles with outstanding parking citations. The Barnacle is a device that attaches to a vehicle’s windshield with suction cups and blocks the driver’s view, so the vehicle can’t be driven until the owner pays their overdue citations. Drivers pay 24/7 by QR code, website or phone, or in- person at the Parking Office, then get a release code to unlock the device and return it to a nearby drop box. When the driver returns the device to a designated drop box, it releases a temporary deposit held on their payment method. If the device is not returned or is damaged beyond normal wear and tear, the deposit covers its replacement. Each device is equipped with GPS tracking and tamper alarms.
The Barnacle offers a more customer-friendly experience than towing. The $50 Barnacle fee reduces owner recovery costs by at least $180 per incident, and staff estimates residents would have saved $304,380 in towing and storage fees in FY25. Vehicles remain where the owner left them, avoiding the confusion and distress of finding a vehicle missing and often assuming it was stolen, and owners can be on their way in minutes rather than hours without needing a ride to Tiffin or release paperwork from the Police Department. The device’s light weight and quick installation also help keep staff safe from traffic and reduce potential conflicts with the public.
If the Barnacle were used in FY25, staff estimated citation recovery would have increased by an estimated $148,592. Because a Barnacle can be deployed in five to ten minutes rather than waiting 80+ minutes for a tow truck, the 810 tows recorded in FY25 represent more than 860 hours of staff time each year that could be reallocated to other activities. The $50 fee is based on cost recovery, including the devices and return receptacle and staff administrative time. The fee would apply to all escalated enforcement actions requiring immobilization, including instances where a Barnacle device is deployed but later removed to allow towing if a customer does not facilitate self-release.
The Barnacle is intended as a supplement to towing, not a replacement, and may still be used for vehicles with unpaid parking fines and fees of $150 or more. Towing will continue to be used in prohibited zones and on parade routes, during snow and ice conditions, when an immobilized vehicle is not released within 24 hours or as otherwise signed, and for vehicles with damaged or vertical windshields, such as semis.
The proposal also supports the City’s climate action goals, including the community-wide target of a 45 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. Staff estimate that towing for unpaid citations in FY25 produced approximately 30,700 kg of CO2e, including more than 21,546 kg from wrecker travel and more than 9,200 kg from passenger vehicle trips to retrieve towed vehicles. Each deployment of a Barnacle in place of a tow avoids both.
The University of Iowa provides a successful local example. After piloting four devices in select facilities in spring 2025, the University expanded to 16 devices across all campus parking facilities in fall 2025, with a $100 Barnacle fee.
Staff will provide a presentation on the proposal at your October 20th City Council meeting.