Government

Town Officials Puzzled by Low Use of ‘Boxcar’-Designated Parking Spots at St. A’s

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On its busiest day, the mobile app that allows commuters to park in the St. Aloysius Church lot has seen fewer than half of the available spaces taken, officials say. 

It isn’t clear whether the limited use of the Boxcar app reflects lack of demand or awareness, limitations in the mobile service itself, overly high rates, rigid parking habits or something else, officials said during Thursday’s meeting of the Parking Commission. Though use of the St. A’s lot has grown since the Boxcar spaces opened in September with $7 daily rates, “the state lots at $5 fill up first,” First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said during the Commission’s meeting, held at Town Hall. “So at $7 I think it is probably a bit high,” Moynihan said.

Government

Officials Uphold $150 Ticket for New Canaan Man Parked in Handicapped Zone

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The Parking Commission at its most recent meeting voted unanimously to uphold a $150 ticket issued to a New Canaan man for parking in a handicapped zone on Elm Street. 

Though Charles Woodman did not attend the Commission’s special meeting Sept. 11 at Town Hall, but his appeal was briefly discussed as the group voted to uphold or void tickets that were appealed. 

According to Parking Manager Stacy Miltenberg, a police officer issued the ticket to Woodman at 10:14 a.m. on July 11 after watching him park in a handicapped zone in front of Dunkin’ Donuts. 

“[The officer] specifically told him he couldn’t park there,” Miltenberg said. “And not that the young man was disrespectful, but he kind of went back and forth with the officer, and the officer has had previous run-ins with him as far as parking and things like that and he parked right in front of the handicapped sign.”

Miltenberg then detailed her own discussion with Woodman after the ticket was issued, when he paid a visit to her office. 

“I explained to him that you can’t, for any reason, park in a handicapped parking spot and he said to me that ‘My friend told me that police officers are not allowed to give me parking tickets,’ ” she recalled. “And my first words [to him] were ‘Do not ever listen to your friend again about anything.’ ”

Commission Chairman Keith Richey announced that the meeting that he would recuse himself from voting on Woodman’s appeal because he knows him personally, however, he did ask, “What kind of an appeal is that anyhow?”

Commissioners Peter Ogilvie, Pam Crum, Stuart Stringfellow and Chris Hering all voted to uphold Woodman’s ticket. 

Government

Parking Officials Void Ticket for Town Woman Who Overstayed at Morse Court

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A split vote among members of the Parking Commission at a special meeting Tuesday night voided a $25 ticket issued to a New Canaan woman for overtime parking at Morse Court. Sarah Spadaccini told the Commission that on July 27, after she clocked out of her shift at Kiwanis Park, she parked her at Morse Court in a 15-minute zone so that she could pick up her takeout order from Spiga restaurant. She said that her order had already been prepared when she arrived at the restaurant, so all she had to do was pay and then leave. 

“As I was walking out to my car—because I was in the spot closest to Main Street—I could see the man ticketing my car,” she said. “It couldn’t have been more than 15 minutes. I was in and then I was out.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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One of the attorneys for the lunch ladies charged with first-degree larceny, Stamford-based Darnell Crosland, told reporters Monday that he and his client have agreed to be filmed by A&E as part of the TV network’s planned show, “The Accused.” The show “tells the dramatic stories of people at the most vital and most terrifying moment of their lives,” according to A&E. “This gripping series reveals the true inside story of what happens when someone is accused of a crime they believe they did not commit. Featuring the defendant, their family and their legal teams, ‘The Accused (working title)’ reveals the personal cost of every charge, watching each case unfold from the defendant’s point of view. It shares every twist and turn of this traumatic experience from their first meeting with their lawyers right up to the verdict allowing viewers to judge the subject’s innocence for themselves.”

***

A new business is “popping up” next Wednesday at 4 South Ave. (formerly Funky Monkey) in New Canaan.

Government

‘Ludicrous’: Parking Officials Uphold $75 Ticket for Fairfield Woman Parked in a Crosswalk 

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The Parking Commission on Tuesday night voted unanimously to uphold a $75 ticket issued to a Fairfield woman who was parked in a crosswalk on Elm Street. 

Patricia Hessel told members of the Commission at a special meeting that on July 6, she parked in downtown New Canaan just before noon to go shopping for her business and when she returned to her vehicle 10 minutes later, she found a ticket on her car. 

“Apparently, I parked in a crosswalk and I did not realize I did,” she told the Commission at its meeting, held in Town Hall. “I’m not from this town. Our town has big white lines [marking the crosswalk]. I did hesitate a bit, but then I got out of the car, I saw the sign and said to myself, ‘I guess it must be OK because [the arrow on the sign] is pointing both ways… But sure enough, I got a ticket.”

Hessel said that she didn’t take a photo of where her car was parked at the time the ticket was issued but went back at a later date and took a photo “to prove my case.” She presented the photo to the Commission as evidence. 

“The big white lines and red bricks [at the crosswalk] didn’t trigger any thoughts?” Commissioner Peter Ogilvie asked. 

Hessel replied “no” and reiterated that she was looking for large, white lines similar to what she’s used to seeing at crosswalks in Fairfield. 

“The [arrow on the] sign looked like it was pointing both ways, so I’m fighting it,” she said. “Believe me, I will never park there again.