Government

‘We Don’t Reward Stupidity’: Parking Commission Sets Three-Mistake Limit for Wrong Space Entries on App

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Prompted by a local man’s honest though repeated mistake in punching in the wrong space number on his smartphone in paying for parking, town officials last week developed a new policy that applies only to use of a mobile app. Because the app generates proof of payment even when a user enters the wrong number, members of the Parking Commission decided by a 3-2 vote on Thursday that someone who makes that mistake with it may be given a pass three times per year as opposed to one, as is the case—with a receipt and at enforcement officers’ discretion—with those who pay for parking with cash. “You don’t want people throwing numbers down without even trying to get right number,” Chairman Keith Richey said at the meeting, by way of explaining why he opposed unlimited free passes for subpar typists. The commission’s discussion revolved around the case of Joe Bussichella, who appeared at the meeting to request that his $20 ticket for an unpaid space in the Railroad Lot in November be voided. Bussichella explained to the commission that the violation occurred in the dark of 6:20 a.m. and “there is a little groove in the pavement there, so I couldn’t tell” what the correct space was.

Around Town

Ticket Upheld: No Relief for Woman Who Parks Illegally on Main Street To Run into the Bank

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Officials on Thursday upheld a $30 ticket issued to a woman who had pulled into a no-parking area when faced with construction traffic downtown in order to run into a bank. The woman appealed her ticket in person before the Parking Commission during a special meeting in the Town Meeting Room. At 1:44 p.m. on Sept. 2, the woman said during her appeal hearing, she came to a stop while traveling west on Main Street, opposite New Canaan Library. Three construction laborers working around the corner on Cherry Street had walked into the road, holding up traffic and preventing the woman from turning right onto Cherry and into the parking lot of Wells Fargo Bank—her destination, she said.

Government

New Parking Permit Fees, Fines for Late Renewals Proposed

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Parking officials are proposing modest increases to parking permit fees at municipal lots. The Parking Commission’s following set of proposed rates, supported unanimously at its March 12 meeting, requires approval from the Board of Selectmen:

 

The commissioners compared New Canaan’s rates to nearby towns. Chairman Keith Richey said he was uneasy about upping the cost of a permit more than the rate of inflation unless the town does something to “add value to the lot,” such as putting in lights or resurfacing. “I do think that we should always have an increase to reflect inflation, because there’s always inflation, and we didn’t have an increase last year because of the economy,” Richey said. Commissioner Pam Crum said she appreciated that Center School lot was increased by 10 percent, but said there’s still too large a gap between Center and the others.

Government

‘Be Kinder to the Little Man’: Parking Officials Weigh New Permit Fees

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One year after deciding to keep rates flat during what was an especially difficult period for rail commuters, parking officials on Friday night discussed the prospect of raising permit fees for next fiscal year. A central question facing the Parking Commission is whether to raise rates at Center School—a parking lot where a significantly lower rate (now $120 per year) had been introduced to serve hourly wage earners in downtown New Canaan. The strategy worked, bringing many retail and other workers’ vehicles off of Main and Elm Streets, freeing up some 90-minute spaces for shoppers and diners, commissioners said at their regular meeting. Yet some members of the Parking Commission are looking to raise Center School lot fees by a larger percentage, given its low overall rate—a philosophy that newly re-elected Secretary Rick Franco questioned. “I cannot say I am in sync with the popular thought on the Center School lot,” Franco said at the meeting, held in the Art Room at Lapham Community Center.

Business

Parking Officials Target the (Non) Parking Space Near Dunkin Donuts on Elm

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Parking officials are trying to figure out just how to prevent motorists—oftentimes those with handicapped stickers—from pulling into what appears to be a space at the “50-yard line” of Elm Street but which actually isn’t. The yellow hatch markings just below the pedestrian crosswalk on Elm Street, on the Dunkin Donuts side of the street, indicate that the area isn’t meant for cars to park there. There’s a handicapped spot right next to it, but people regularly park not only there but also in the yellow hatch area. The matter is in the hands of the Police Commission, which oversees on-street parking in New Canaan. Members of the Parking Commission at their most recent meeting described the difficulty as trying to decide just how to deter motorists from pulling into the spot.