Government

Parking Commission Voids $25 Ticket Issued to Elm Street Motorist

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Saying it had been a long time since parking enforcement officers issued their last verbal warning to her, town officials last week voided a $25 ticket issued to a woman who overstayed her time on Elm Street. 

Under New Canaan’s parking regulations, motorists approaching what is now a 2-hour time limit for the free spaces downtown cannot simply move their vehicle to a different area of the same street to reset that timer. If someone is not aware of the rule, “we try to educate them, usually the first ticket around, because it is not posted anywhere other than in the town ordinance,” according to Parking Manager Stacy Miltenberg. Yet in the case of Lara Tiramani of Bridgeport, she was made aware of that when she similarly overstayed a space in 2016, Miltenberg said during the Dec. 8 regular meeting of the Parking Commissioner. Tucker Murphy, administrative officer for the town and a guest at the meeting, said the purpose of the rule is to ensure the free spaces serve those who wish to patronize downtown business and restaurants rather than those who work in those places.

Government

Town Upholds $150 Ticket Issued to Driver Who Illegally Used Disabled Space in Private Lot

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Parking officials last week upheld a $150 ticket issued to a delivery driver using a disabled space in a private lot on Pine Street. The Parking Commission during its regular meeting April 7 voted 4-0 to uphold the ticket, given to a driver in the heavily used Pine Street Concessions lot. Parking Manager Stacy Miltenberg said at the meeting that disabled spaces fall under state statutes, including those in private lots “so we are allowed to go in there and ticket anybody who dos not have a handicapped permit and is parked in a handicapped space in a private lot.”

“And in addition, that particular area we get several complaints that people just utilize that spot as a regular spot and do not leave it open for people who need it, so it’s monitored on a regular basis,” Miltenberg said at the meeting, held via videoconference. 

Chair Laura Budd and Commissioners Nancy Bemis, Drew Magratten and Marley Thackray voted to uphold the ticket. The driver himself did not appear at the hearing. He said in a written appeal that he’d only been in the space for five minutes, the Commission said.

Government

Town Upholds $150 Ticket Issued to Truck Driver Who Parked in Disabled Space

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Town officials this month upheld a $150 ticket issued to a Norwalk resident who parked a truck in a disabled space on Elm Street. The motorist, Alexander Gil, had received the ticket at 11:12 a.m. on Jan. 21 (a Friday). In an appeal letter sent to the Parking Commission, Gil said he parked with hazard lights on for about one minute while trying to make a delivery. During a March 10 appeal hearing before the Commission, Gil’s supervisor at work—a man who identified himself only as ‘Diego’—said that it’s difficult to park a large truck in New Canaan and that there’s a lack of loading zones.

Government

Town Upholds $75 Parking Ticket Issued to Woman Who Obstructed Fire Hydrant

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Town officials last week upheld a $75 ticket issued to a West Haven woman who’d parked in front of a fire hydrant on Cherry Street. Mary Chegwidden told members of the Parking Commission during a March 10 appeal hearing that she had only parked by the fire hydrant in the area of 111 Cherry St. for about five minutes “so I could deliver to a client, DB Fine Wines.”

“I had some heavy boxes because I had some marketing materials and some heavy papers,” Chegwidden said during the hearing, held via videoconference. “So I wanted to drop it off to them quickly.”

The ticket had been issued at about 1:20 p.m. on Jan. 26, a Wednesday. 

The Commission voted 4-1 to uphold it.

Government

Parking Commission Voids $30 Ticket Issued for Loading Zone Violation on Elm Street 

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Members of the Parking Commission at their most recent meeting voided a $30 ticket issued to a local business owner who had parked in a loading zone on Elm Street. Pam Alberino of New Canaan Ski & Sport told the Commission during an appeal hearing last month that she was using the loading zone properly at the time she received the ticket—a characterization that is at odds with the head of the Parking Bureau. “I was unloading my truck and putting stuff into my truck because there is no places for me to load and my back parking lot was also filled,” Alberino said during gate Feb. 7 hearing, held via videoconference. “So I had to walk and unload it and when I came back out to put some stuff in the car, I had a ticket and it was like 9:59 or 9:58.