Town officials during a recent meeting voted to uphold a $30 ticket that had been issued to a former New Canaan resident who didn’t pay for parking on Elm Street.
Robert Hegeman, now of Norwalk, told members of the Parking Commission during their Feb. 4 meeting that he returned to New Canaan for lunch without realizing he now had to pay.
“I parked on the south side of the street and exited toward the rear of the car, and crossed to the north side of the street where Solé is, and just didn’t see the signage,” Hegeman told the appointed body. “So I came back and saw the ticket, downloaded the app and will be paying going forward. I just wasn’t aware.”
The unpaid space violation—issued at 2:10 p.m. on Jan. 20 (a Tuesday)—came a few weeks after the town’s “grace period” for the change to paid parking on Elm had ended, otherwise he would have received a warning, then-Parking Manager Stacy Miltenberg said.
Following brief deliberations, Commissioners Kevin Karl, Katie O’Neill and Marley Thackray voted 3-0 to uphold the ticket.
“I guess that just falls into the category of ‘There’s really nothing you can do,’ the way he explained—he parked, he turned, he crossed the street,” O’Neill said. “You’re not going to see the sign and it’s never been there before, but we obviously can’t go on a case-by-case basis like that.”
Thackray agreed, saying, “If we do [forgive] one then everyone is going to say they didn’t see the sign, even though I truly believe he didn’t.”
O’Neill said it’s fair to suggest that people who are new to town should be checking to see if parking is free or paid, and that she would be very sympathetic to longtime residents who forget to pay, which she herself has done.
During the hearing, Karl asked Hegeman whether he pays for parking in Norwalk, for example at the mall in SoNo. Hegeman said yes, and that he pays to park in Greenwich, too.
“I just wasn’t aware of [the change] on Elm Street and didn’t have the app, but I do now, so when I visit I will be definitely be taking note of that,” he said.
For those former New Canaan residents, from more gracious times, who longer get the Canaanite or Patch, why should they know about these difficult to see parking meters , max 2 hours, resulting in punitive fees? Can’t shop and have lunch. Go back to chalk on tire and let everyone take their chance.
Yes, I totally agree with your thoughts! We need to return to kinder, gentler times. New Canaan needs to lighten up, retail business is not that robust anymore and all would benefit from a return to simple, free 2 hour parking! Make the town embracing, encouraging people to come together, not combative causing people to avoid visiting.
Unfortunately, it looks as if “pay for parking” is inching its way to Main Street, too. If so, I really feel sorry for our merchants:
https://newcanaanite.com/letter-to-the-editor-106-14570153