Parking can be expensive, especially if you park on private property without permission.

Towing charges can cost nearly $200.

More than 45 vehicles were towed from private properties in June, with at least 10 towed during McQuade weekend, Bismarck Police Lt. Fred Wooten said.

Most local businesses do not mind if customers leave vehicles in their parking lots for short periods of time, but when vehicles take up space for long periods of time, businesses resort to towing.

This is a significant concern for businesses with small lots.

Last month, Jessica Evenson, of Mina, S.D., had her vehicle towed when she visited Bismarck for the McQuade softball tournament.

She parked her vehicle in the parking lot of Qdoba, 312 S. Third St. in Bismarck, at about 11:30 p.m. on June 23. She had eaten there earlier that evening, so she thought her car would be fine.

Evenson went to nearby bar and returned to the lot at 1 a.m. to find that her car had been towed. Qdoba closed at 10 p.m.

Signs in Qdoba's parking lot read, "Qdoba customer parking only: violators will be towed at own expense."

"Basically, we didn't even see the sign," Evenson said.

Evenson isn't alone.

AceTowing tow truck operator George Kuntz said a number of vehicles are towed during the tournament each year.

"It happens every year. People just assume it's OK to go ahead and park in businesses' lots," he said.

"I think they could eliminate their problem by putting more signs up and changing what (the signs) say," Evenson said.

"We appreciate her business and we hope she comes again, but our parking lot is for our customers. We are not a parking garage," Qdoba general manager Doreen Olson said.

"People need to respect the signs. It's plain as day posted and they just choose to ignore it," Kuntz said.

Like Qdoba, Denny's, 405 S. Seventh St. in Bismarck, has "customers only" signs posted in its parking lot, but they rarely have vehicles towed.

According to Denny's management, the restaurant doesn't have a parking problem unless there is a special event in town.

While it is within a property owner's rights to have a vehicle towed from their property, most businesses give people a chance to remove their vehicle, Assistant City Attorney Paul Fraase said.

"A lot of business places are really good to work with," Kuntz said.

Drivers should be aware of signs when they are looking for a parking lot and respect the property owner's rights, Wooten said.

Vehicles towed from private properties like Denny's and Qdoba cost about $125 to reclaim. Additional costs for services like winching may increase the price, Kuntz said.

Ace Towing, the contracted city towing company, tows vehicles to the Bismarck Police Department impound, 2011 N. 52nd St. in Bismarck.

"All cars towed for police purposes end up at the impound," Wooten said.

Most impounded vehicles have violated a city parking restriction that requires vehicles parked on Bismarck streets be moved at least 1,200 feet every 48 hours. This applies mostly to run-down or abandoned vehicles, he said.

Also, the city may impound vehicles that impede street cleaning or create road hazards. Others are towed as evidence or because the vehicle's owner has three or more outstanding parking tickets.

The basic cost for reclaiming a vehicle towed for police purposes is $85. Additional costs may apply as well, Wooten said.

(Reach reporter Alyssa Schafer at 250-8264 or alyssa.schafer@;bismarcktribune.com.)