The Gainesville City Commission voted Thursday to draft an ordinance eliminating roam towing and booting throughout the city. The ordinance draft must pass two additional votes before it can take effect.
The ordinance would prohibit property owners from hiring towing companies to patrol parking lots to tow or boot unauthorized vehicles.
The measure is meant to encourage businesses and property owners to contact tow companies about individual vehicle removal rather than have them watch lots.
The commission voted 5-2 in favor of the ordinance, with commissioners Desmon Duncan-Walker and Ed Book in dissent.
After speaking to property managers, towing companies and residents, Mayor Harvey Ward said he would prefer to eliminate roam booting entirely.
“My mind is not changeable about roam immobilization,” he said. “I’ve just heard too many horror stories from people affected.”
Some cities in Florida have already restricted roam towing or immobilization, Ward added.
Several Gainesville residents shared experiences with roam towing and booting during public comment.
During public comment, some Gainesville residents shared concerns about noise pollution caused by tow trucks in residential areas. Others detailed instances in which they struggled to retrieve their vehicles and personal belongings after they were towed.
Kevin Whitesides, who works for Superior Towing, was among only a few to speak against the ordinance during public comment. Others opposed to it were property owners and a representative of the North Florida Apartment Association.
Roam booting is the only way to enforce parking permits for garages, Whitesides said, because it’s hard to maneuver tow trucks in places with narrow turns.
“I cannot get a tow truck in there to do the towing,” he said. “If you take away immobilization, you take away every private property owner's right to protect their property.”
Commissioner Duncan-Walker was among those who opposed the ordinance.
Roam towing and booting allows owners to better manage their properties, she said.
“At the core of this, everyone is asking to be safe,” Duncan-Walker said. “You hear apartment managers and owners asking for the right to protect their residents.”
Contact Olivia Lofaso at olofaso@alligator.org. Follow her on X @OLofaso77652
Olivia Lofaso is a third-year journalism student and the Summer 2026 city/county commission reporter. She previously worked as a contributing writer at The Alligator. In her free time she enjoys visiting art museums and solving crosswords.
