Buckhead library patrons booted for stepping off the property

ATLANTA — People who frequent a local library told Channel 2 Action News a booting company is too aggressive. Signs in the parking lot say customers only, but customers told us the rules are still unclear.

Charles Huff was stuck at the Buckhead Public Library parking lot Wednesday afternoon on Buckhead Avenue NE after a parking attendant booted his SUV.

Huff called Castle Parking Solutions to dispute the boot. Channel 2's Rikki Klaus called the company as well. A manager told Klaus if a driver steps off library property, their car could be booted.

%

%

According to Huff, he never left the library premises.

"Standing out here in the sun with my bald head, I'll probably have a sunburn by the time they get here," Huff said.

Eventually the boot was removed from Huff's car after attendants determined Huff wasn't the man they saw leaving the property.

Daryn Zimmerman wasn't so lucky. She left the library parking lot with books in hand and went two doors down for a minute.

"A company has decided up a rule. They've not posted it or shared it anywhere. They're then wrongfully booting people and then forcing them under duress to pay a ticket," Zimmerman said.

It's a $75 ticket Stephanie Horlock also paid, after she left the lot for five minutes.

"That's normal, and if there's nothing here telling us we can't do that, then I just didn't feel like this was right," Horlock said.

Castle Parking Solutions says it's reduced the problem of people parking in the library lot and then going shopping at businesses nearby tenfold. The company says their services are needed.

Library employees were not able to say who gets the boot removal money and who owns the parking lot.

TRENDING STORIES:

Cox Media Group