Parking commission voids two tickets after map and signage confusion

The New Canaan Parking Commission voted unanimously to void two parking citations Thursday after hearing from appellants who said signage, painted-over stall numbers and a recently updated online map led them to believe the spaces were permitted or free.

In the first appeal, an in-person appellant who identified herself as Lily said she had checked the town’s parking website and a paper map in her car before parking but later found the online map had been updated and included the space in a yellow legend. “I thought the sign was just not updated,” Lily said, describing why she paid attention to the department map rather than the curbside sign.

Parking staff told the panel the online map was updated roughly two weeks earlier and that temporary signage and a yellow legend now mark that space. After discussion about the visibility of curb signage and recent updates, a commissioner moved to void Lily’s citation; the motion passed.

The second appellant, Alice Cascapera, told the commission she parked briefly for lunch and believed Morris Court spaces had become free during the Elm Street transition because numbers in the spaces had been painted over. “It was my mistake not to double check,” Cascapera said, adding that she would have paid the fine had she realized the space required payment.

Commissioners noted that faded or painted-over stall numbers can create a misleading impression and that communication about the transition was widespread but imperfect. After reviewing the circumstances, the commission voted to void Cascapera’s ticket as well.

Commissioners and staff said the decisions were based on the individual circumstances of each appeal, not a change in enforcement policy. The panel reiterated plans to improve signage, public outreach and online information and to track problem areas. The third appellant scheduled for the evening did not appear; commissioners noted that an appellant who fails to appear forfeits the right to an oral hearing at that session.

The commission also asked parking staff to continue monitoring the site and to report back with any additional adjustments to signage or signage placement. The meeting concluded with a vote to adjourn and a decision to reschedule the next monthly meeting from June 3 to June 10.