Ticketed motorists submitted the following appeals recently to the New Canaan Parking Commission.
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“My taillight was where the handicap sign started. There are pictures I have that prove the taillight is where the sign was. Majority of my car is in the 2-hr parking zone well within where I should be. I just started working again and cannot afford this ticket.”
—$150 for handicapped zone, at 10:35 a.m. on Feb. 9 (Stamford resident)
Double-parking on Main Street, on Feb. 25, 2021. Credit: Michael Dinan
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“This morning I stopped for 2 minutes on Main Street, New Canaan to pick up food from Organika Kitchen. When I returned, I saw a ticket on my wind shield for a loading zone violation. Unfortunately, a tall vehicle was pulling out when I was parking and I did not see the sign. I am usually very careful and have a clean record. I would really appreciate it if the Town of New Canaan could considering waiving the ticket. Appreciate your consideration.”
—$30 for loading zone on Main Street, at 10:18 a.m. on Jan. 8 (New Canaan resident)
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“Hi, I was ticketed on Monday 02/08 at 14:38 in the Main Street lot. I was there for a doctors visit with dermatologist for my daughter, this is the 3rd visit and they are always quick as they are now just a routine check up appointments. At 2pm I paid for 30min and headed to the appointment, it turns out that the doctor was running late that day and unfortunately while being in a room waiting for her, I was not able to pay for additional time for the parking, I ended up getting to my car at 14:42. I ask as this is the first parking ticket I have received in New Canaan and the fact that I was not trying to get away without paying and with good faith paid what I thought would be a sufficient time based on history that this ticket would be forgiven.”
—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court, at 2:38 p.m. on Feb. 8 (Weston resident)
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“I received a parking ticket on January 8th, 2021, stating that I was parked in a loading zone. I want to state that I have parked in this space many times over the course of the last 20 years and was never issued a ticket. I don’t understand why I was issued a ticket this time. I would like to contest this parking ticket because I think it was made in error. This is the first parking ticket that I have received in this specific spot because I am very careful to obey parking regulations. If I was aware of a sign that said no parking/loading zone specific to that spot, I would have obviously parked at another location. I would be happy to discuss the details with you if required.”
—$30 for loading zone on Main Street, at 10:05 a.m. on Jan. 8 (New Canaan resident)
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“I was stopped for 2 minutes to pick up a book from the local bookstore. I asked the parking personnel to please not write a ticket that’s how close I was. In these times to be so harsh, especially with the financial strain we’re all under, seems cold. New Canaan is a small, beautiful town and this seems so uncharacteristic of it.”
—$50 for double parking on Elm Street, at 11:28 a.m. on Jan. 7 (New Canaan resident)
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“For a long time the parking fees were being waived due to COVID, I am not up in NC that often. It was early and I ran into a store, I wrongly assumed the fees were still being waived. I ask for forgiveness this one time.”
—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court, at 9:53 a.m. on Jan. 23
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“Feb 3 was the day after the big Nor Easter snow storm that I assumed (wrongly) that prying regulations were suspended. I parked in front of Zumbach’s to run in quickly for a cup of coffee. I made sure my handicapped card was displayed. I would greatly appreciate your considering dismissal of this $30 penalty.”
—$30 for no parking zone on Pine Street, at 2:06 p.m. on Feb. 3 (New Canaan resident)
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“Used the spot for 10 minutes while doing business at a local restaurant. I used the back lot to keep Main Street spots available for customers. I have always paid few in the past until COVID fee change. I wasn’t aware of the change. Also no signage about reinstated fees!”
—$25 for unpaid space in Park Street Lot, at 2:22 p.m. on Feb. 8 (Monroe resident)
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“I work at Azzul, the shoe store within the parking lot that I use frequently. If it needs to be checked via whatever digital system I used, I have never failed to pay my parking space fee within the span of time since January 1, when the free parking within the lot was no longer available. Because of this, I felt compelled to submit an appeal on the ticket I received, in the hopes that the appeal system might actually help me in a case where I believe the ticket I received was unfair. When I parked on January 21, at approximately 11:20 a.m., I figured I would have enough time to stop inside the store to use the restroom and set my bags down, as my hands were full, before going back out and paying my parking space fee in less than five minutes. Unfortunately, this was not the case. When I went back at 11:23 to double-check which space was mine, there was a ticket already on my windshield. Regardless of this, I went back and paid my parking space fee as I normally would every day. I had full intentions to pay my space fee, and I did, regardless of the circumstances. To me, it is unfair that someone who is willing and ready to follow the rules is still punished the same way someone with no intentions of following the rules would be. Of course, anyone can write in claiming they were ‘going to pay’ but given the minuscule time frame provided to me between when I parked, when I needed to use the restroom and set my belongings down, and when I finally did pay, I would think that the case would have a lot more merit than one of someone who parked for hours without paying. Additionally, my record of paying my parking fees should show clearly that I am not a person who would be willing to disobey the rules. I appreciate the time being taken to consider this case, and I hope that by the end of the discussion, it can be seen that I had full intentions, but not enough time, to pay my parking fine within the time frame that the officer on duty was patrolling. I am sure cases like this appear every single day, but regardless, I feel my case is one that holds merit.”
—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court, at 11:23 a.m. on Jan. 21 (Wilton resident)
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“As I discussed, I live and work in Ridgefield, CT. I came to New Canaan because I had an appointment with Dr. Littzi. It was my first visit to her office. When I got out of my car, I saw the parking meter but thought perhaps that New Canaan suspended ticketing during Covid, as Ridgefield has done. But, just to be on the safe side, I walked back to my car and found that I was in space #46 and proceeded to the parking meter to purchase a ticket. I tried to purchase a ticket twice. I’m not sure what I was doing wrong. I thought it was rejecting my credit card, although it worked fine for the rest of the day. Perhaps I was taking too much time was I was unfamiliar with the meter. I was confused about OK and then the greek check mark button so Im not sure what I was doing, in addition to feeling like an idiot and needing to find Dr. Littzi’s office. I left the parking meter without success. Thank you for explaining that in the future that I can just put in quarters and not worry about my credit card, as well as explaining the the green check button means OK. Sorry, it seems obvious but it just didn’t register in my brain that day.”
—$25 for an unpaid space in Morse Court, at 11:43 a.m. on Feb. 10 (Ridgefield resident)
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“Having kids in school in New Canaan, I try to support the local businesses as much as possible. As you know there is a lot of traffic on Elm Street. One of the largest issues that I see are the trucks that pull up and double park to make their pickups and deliveries. This makes driving a larger car a difficult challenge in navigating the street and the parking spaces available. On 1/06/21 at 2:34 I was given a citation for pulling my Ford truck into a no parking to pick up my daughter who was walking out of her Orthodontist appointment 2 doors away. She was in route to the car and I had been standing for a minute waiting for her to get in. I had already circled the town multiple times awaiting her arrival and was just pulling in for a moment so I did not stop the stream of traffic behind me which was as usual very busy, especially with the traffic cop (unknown to me) parked on the other side of the road blocking the only other lane.”
—$30 for no parking zone on Elm Street, at 2:35 p.m. on Jan. 6 (Norwalk resident)
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“I would like to appeal this ticket because I am not from town and the last time I as here I didn’t have to pay for parking. When my esthetician told me she was a few minutes late because she had trouble with the parking machine I immediately realized and ran out to pay. As I approached my car nearly 3 minutes after parking, the parking enforcer was writing up a ticket. I explained my situation to him, that I am a college student rarely in town and unaware of the payment being enforced. He told me to appeal it. I’ve never received a parking ticket before and am a very responsible young woman. Now that I know, I will always pay, I’m greatly sorry and hope you consider this appeal.”
—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court, at 10:34 a.m. on Jan. 19 (Darien resident)
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“I live in Darien and come to New Canaan often. In December I parked in the lot south of Elm St behind JCrew and parking was still free of charge. My house is for sale so my kids and I have to leave the house and get the cars out of the driveway nearly every Sat and Sunday for showings. On 1/23 we came up to New Canaan to get some lunch and saw no signs indicating that parking rules had been reinstated. We received TWO parking tickets which seems excessive, considering I have been happily and lawfully paying for parking on my visits to New Canaan for the last 20 years, and would never purposefully skip paying for parking. Please consider giving me a pass on these tickets due to the fact that I had no idea that the parking lot had returned to normal pre Covid operation. The restaurants and shops in town are having a hard enough time making ends meet without the customers being made to feel unwelcome by excessive ticketing.”
—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court, at 11:35 a.m. on Jan. 23 (Darien resident)