A lot of people are fighting the speeding tickets they receive from the school zone camera system, which was  installed last fall.

According to a memo from the police department  to the City Council, the workload for the city court staff has almost doubled. “Phone calls, mail and counter contacts have inundated staff,” the memo said.

Police say Lynnwood Municipal Court can only accommodate about 50 school zone hearings on a given day, but they are receiving requests for 60-70 hearings. “At this rate, they will need to schedule additional calendars, yet they don’t have a courtroom to hear them,” the memo said.

The city’s administrative and legal staff also have been inundated responding to public disclosure requests about the photo speed program.

“This is a time consuming process that many defendants are availing themselves of in preparation of their contested hearing.”

Lynnwood has two school zone cameras – one in front of Lynnwood Elementary on 44th Ave. W. and the other in front of the school zone on 168th St. SW that covers Meadowdale High, Middle and Elementary schools, as well as Beverly Elementary.

Fines are $124 for speeds of 29-35 miles per hour, and $250 for speeds over 36 miles per hour.

So far there have been over 14,600 potential violations at the two locations, but over 4,000 of them – or about 28 percent — have been rejected.

Lynnwood Police will update the City Council on the photo enforcement program on Monday night.