Durian Spagnuolo has lived in the same Salt Lake City, Utah apartment complex for years. Three parking spaces sit at the very front, designated for disabled drivers with handicapped placards. However, as Spagnuolo noted, those who don’t live in the complex weren’t aware of that fact—largely due to a shocking lack of signage and markings.

Spagnuolo saw people park there daily and watched officers ticket them shortly afterward. He began to suspect the local police department saw the commonly made mistake as a way to make extra revenue for the department, especially since each ticket is $340.

“I think [police] know there’s a tendency of people to park here, technically illegally,” he told KSL-TV. “I think whoever is giving the tickets – they make several rounds throughout the day.”

The lack of signage also fooled Mark Covington’s daughter, who originally thought there were only two ADA parking spots instead of three. She parked in the middle spot, which doesn’t have a sign or paintings on the street, and was issued a ticket.

“Three-hundred-forty dollars is not small for a parking spot when you don’t realize that’s a handicapped spot,” he said. “I mean, that’s a pretty big ticket.”

He argued his daughter’s case to judge and learned something startling

Before standing in front of a judge to argue the ticket, Convington filed for a GRAMA request to see how many times those spots have made money for the department. He discovered that from January 2 to March 3, the department issued 99 tickets.

“In that particular spot, yeah, they’re just dishing them out,” he said. “Just in the first two months, they made over $30,000 – if everybody just paid the fine and walked away.”

He provided photos of the lack of signage, markings, and access to ramps per ADA guidelines. The judge dismissed the ticket almost immediately.

A Public Services representative denied having a police officer sit on those spots and argued that city code didn’t require painted curbs or pavement. After being made aware of the complaints, however, the city will “proactively analyze the situation.”

Reporters noted, however, that state code requires signage, the handicapped symbol be clearly visible, and a clearly marked aisle.

The neighbor took matters into his own hands

While the city “proactively analyzes” the “situation,” Spagnuolo put red tape up to help keep drivers from parking in those spots.

“I did that just to warn people, hoping they’ll notice,” he said. “No one would park here if it was marked, obviously.”