Charlottetown woman disputes ticket, saying overnight parking ban needs to be clarified

A Charlottetown woman is questioninga parking ticket she received, saying the city's overnight parking ban needs to be clarified.

Katherine Ballemwas working late on Dec. 2 when she was given a ticket on Queen Streetfor parking afterthe 11 p.m. cut-off.

According to the city's website, "on-street parking isn't allowed on city streets from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Nov.15 to April 15." It also adds that"restrictions may be enforced on a discretionary basis as snow plowing and clearing or de-icing needs to take place."

The city alsoissues alerts when it plans to de-ice or plow streets, which it did on Dec. 2.

'You run the risk of being ticketed'

It's the"discretionary basis" reference thatBallemsaid confuses the matter.

"If the parking ban means that it's a ban throughoutthe city, then they need to define what discretionary means or get rid of it altogether," she said.

Ballem said she's aware of the parking ban, but assumed she wouldn't be ticketedbecausethe block of Queen Streetshe parked onwas clear of snow.

"And so with a street being completely clear, that was not my expectation or my understanding of how it would be enforced," she said.

Charlottetown policeCst.Ron Kennedy said the department decides when it willticket or tow, and can do that regardless of whether acar is in the way of snow removal or not.

"If you're on the road after 11 p.m. while the winter parking ban is on, you run the risk of being ticketed," he said.

"Plain and simple."

System 'doesn't serve everybody'

Kennedy said even on clear nights where there may not be any snow on the road, public works may want to access the street.

"They [have] the discretion at any point in time to come and take that snow away, widen the street and to remove any vehicles that are hampering that," he said.

Ballem said she only found out about the alert system after receiving the ticket.

"I think that rather than sending out these individual messages to people who may or may not receive that information, it would be to set up the system in such a way that people understand from the get-go and they don't need to have these day-to-day updates on what is required and what's not," said Ballem.

"It's a system that doesn't serve everybody."

Kennedy said thebylaw has beenin place for as long as he can remember.

He saidif people plan on working late in Charlottetown, to check the city's website for a list of alternateparking spaces.

Ballemsaidshe still plans to appealher ticket and ishopeful it will be overturned.

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