Miami Beach will text residents before they are towed under new policy

• That can save them from a $150 tow (the non-resident rate can be over $400).

The fine print: The city will notify car owners after they are cited for violations like parking in a residential area without a permit, parking in a no-parking zone or abandoning their vehicle.

• Miami Beach residents must register for the city's resident parking discount program and provide a phone number, per the Miami Herald.

Yes, but: You won't get notified if you block a fire lane, travel lane or freight loading zone, or park in a disabled parking spot without a permit.

What they're saying: Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who sponsored the resolution, said at Wednesday's meeting that about 2,000 residents were towed in the city last year.

• "It's frustrating, it's costly and in many cases, it really is avoidable. Ultimately I really do feel that the goal of parking enforcement should be compliance, not punishment."

• He told the Herald he wasn't concerned about residents abusing the system.

Ralph Andrade, an attorney for the city's two towing companies, said in a statement that Beach Towing and Tremont Towing were supportive of the new policy, "which makes life easier for residents in parking-challenged Miami Beach."

What's next: Before the program is rolled out, transportation director José González told commissioners the city will conduct public outreach to get residents to sign up for the program.