The group plans to petition Mayor Dave Cull after being on the receiving end of the officer's infringement notice pad for minor and momentary infractions more than 20 times in recent months, but DCC development services denies they are being targeted.
AB Automatics manager Ian Owen said the crackdown was the work of one officer with a "zero tolerance" approach, who refused to discuss his heavy-handed tactics.
The business operators in Orari St, including Mr Owen, had signed the petition, which would be sent to Mr Cull with a letter outlining their grievances.
The other South Dunedin businesses were Roy Turner Automotive, Harrex, Downing and Little, Rod's Engine Services and Air-Fluid Otago.
The owners reported the same tactics used by the same parking officer - issuing tickets for minor breaches with no warning or discussion - and, in one case, after hiding around a corner while writing a ticket.
One staff member was issued a ticket after parking a company vehicle inside a workshop entranceway - with its front wheels partially blocking the footpath - while delivering a load of heavy steel.
There was no on-street parking available nearby, but the customer was ticketed despite staying inside the car with its engine running.
Mr Owen said he had no complaints with on-street parking restrictions, but wanted leeway for other small breaches that allowed businesses to operate smoothly.
"When customers can't get in the doorway and there's no parks outside, then what are they supposed to do? Stop and leave their car in the middle of the street?"
Air-Fluid Otago Ltd manager Allan Andrews said he had tried to talk to the parking officer, but the man's "blatant arrogance" made it impossible. "He just won't listen."
Mr Owen said he was "absolutely, 100% positive" it was the same officer issuing all the tickets.
Dunedin City Council development services manager Kevin Thompson denied the businesses were being targeted, saying it was normal practice for one officer to be assigned to patrol one specific city zone.
There were no rules about where in the street tickets should be written, but it was expected officers would exercise discretion and issue warnings - rather than tickets - in some cases, Mr Thompson said.
That included if a car was only partially blocking a footpath, or if motorists were in their cars with engines running while illegally parked.
"They [officers] don't just suddenly write a ticket."
However, tickets would follow if warnings were ignored, and the businesses in question had "well and truly" been warned, he said.
"They've made a choice whether they'll continue to park the way they're parking, or not. The parking rules are the rules."
He would consider concerns raised in the group's petition and take action "if there was any validity to the claims".
Council figures released last month showed the city's 11 parking officers together issued 73,600 tickets - worth $2.5 million - in 2010, with $348,000 transferred to the council's consolidated fund after costs.
