(1) Any police officer or other duly authorized employee of the City or any agency thereof or of the Parking Authority who observes a parking violation shall serve a parking ticket upon the owner or operator of the vehicle as provided in this Section.

(2) The parking ticket shall be in the form established by the Parking Authority and approved by the Director of Finance, and shall contain information advising the person to whom it is issued of the manner in which and the time within which an answer to the violation alleged is required. The parking ticket shall also advise that additional fees and costs may result from a failure to answer, that the failure to answer or appear shall be considered an admission of liability, and that impoundment of the vehicle and other civil action may result from a failure to pay the amount due. A parking ticket in use by the Parking Authority as of the effective date of this Chapter shall be valid notice of a parking violation within the meaning of this Section.

(3) A parking ticket may be served upon the owner of the vehicle by affixing the ticket to the vehicle in a conspicuous place. A parking ticket may be served personally upon the operator of a vehicle who is present at the time of service. The plate number and type as shown by the registration plates of the vehicle and the make or model of the vehicle shall be recorded on the ticket. If the license plate is not visible or legible or has been improperly affixed to the vehicle, other appropriate identification may be used, such as the vehicle identification number. The parking ticket shall also contain other sufficient information to identify the vehicle and to inform the person of the nature, date, time and location of the violation alleged. Failure to answer a parking ticket served by affixation as provided in this subsection shall be subject to the same fines, costs and additional fees and shall have the same force and effect as if the parking ticket were personally served on the owner and operator of the vehicle.

(4) Except as provided in subsection 12-2804(8), a person to whom a parking ticket has been served shall answer within eight (8) days after the date the ticket was served. Failure to answer within the prescribed period shall result in the imposition of additional fees as set forth in § 12-2809.

(5) The original parking ticket shall be signed by the issuing officer who shall affirm the truth of the facts set forth therein. The original ticket or any true copy thereof (or any facsimile of the original ticket transferred onto microfilm, computer tape, or other form of data storage) shall be considered a record kept in the ordinary course of business of the City and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein.

(6) The Parking Authority shall cause parking tickets to be prepared and distributed to the Police Department and other issuing agencies.

(7) An operator of a vehicle who is not the owner thereof but who uses or operates the vehicle with the permission of the owner, express or implied, shall be considered the agent of the owner to receive parking tickets served in accordance with this Section.

(8) An owner of a vehicle who is engaged in the business of renting or leasing vehicles under written rental or leasing agreements (the "Lessor") shall not be liable for any fines, costs or additional fees prescribed and assessed pursuant to this Chapter if, within thirty (30) days after a notice of violation is issued pursuant to subsection 12-2805(1) of this Chapter with respect to a parking violation, the Lessor furnishes to the Parking Authority, in such form as the Parking Authority may specify by regulation, the true name, address, driver's license number and state of issuance for the person in possession of the vehicle at the time of the violation (the "Lessee"). The Lessor may, in the alternative, provide a true copy of the lease or rental agreement. The Parking Authority may impose a fee, not to exceed one ($1.00) dollar per parking violation, to cover the costs of administration of this subsection, payable by the Lessor. If the name or address provided by a Lessor for a Lessee is inaccurate, the Lessor shall remain liable for the violation charged.