The key word being “was.”

You see, Schulter lost his seat on the Chicago city council last February when newcomer Ameya Pawar came in and defeated him for the post.

But Schulter had gave himself one last present of clout before he left office–a brand new Residential Permit Parking zone for his block according to the Chicago Tribune.

Schulter claims he was working with residents from his block long before the election, although documentation seems to prove the process only started after he lost the election.

In addition, it seems only three houses on the block returned post cards approving the RPP, which is much fewer than what is required under the law. The Chicago municipal code requires 65% of residents must approve. But guess what? No one can find the paperwork proving the RPP was setup correctly.

In the meantime, residents of the area say the RPP on Schulter’s street is having a negative parking and traffic impact in this area around the popular Welles Park.

Here’s the Trib’s full story, “Permit parking on ex-Ald. Eugene Schulter’s street stirs questions.”

The first two nights, tonight and tomorrow are night games.

Of course this means lots of ticketing and towing for vehicles without proper RPP city stickers or guest passes in LV2 and 383 zones.

Restrictions kick in at 5 PM and last until 10 PM.

First pitch scheduled for 7:05.

Try to avoid Lakeview this evening if you can.

Here’s the full Cubs’ night game schedule for 2011 and other news you can use on Wrigleyville parking.

It seems a bunch of “well organized” mothers in the city by the bay think they need special residential parking permits for their nannies according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

San Francisco has an RPP program similar to Chicago’s, which restricts parking on certain streets to residents with city stickers with the proper permit. But San Francisco’s program doesn’t extend the resident’s parking privileges to people employed by the household.

The mommies think it’s important that their child’s caregiver have easy access to their car so they can take their precious Johnny or Janie to their weekly squash lesson or the country club. Without the special parking pass, nannies with car have to move their vehicle every two hours or face a $65 ticket.

So, this group of mommies is lobbying the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to get them to extend their nannies these special privileges, claiming it’s a child safety issue.

But, the problem with this is pretty evident.

Once you allow nannies to have special parking privileges, who’s next?

The next thing you know, the butler, housekeeper and the cook will want them. Then, all of a sudden the masseuse, the tennis pro, limousine driver, interior decorator, etal will all want special parking treatment. At some point, you have parking chaos and the entire RPP program will fall apart.

Before you know it all sorts of commoners will be parking their late model non-hybrid junkers on your street–and who wants that?

Here’s the full story in the SF Chronicle, “Parking permits for nannies?“

Especially in the more parking challenged wards in the city.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) and Ald. Vi Daley (43rd) are looking to do something about RPP and today proposed creating a Residential Parking Permit Zone Task Force to address these and other related parking issues.

“The proliferation of the permit parking areas has caused more strain on the already scares commodity of available on-street parking , and, as a result, many businesses near the restricted parking zones have seen a negative impact on their businesses by a decrease in customers and business…” states the resolution the two signed today.

Tunney and Daley’s adjacent wards represent the brunt of Lakeview and Lincoln Park, easily two of the most vehicle congested areas of the city, and account for a good portion of the individual residential parking permits issued each year.

According to the resolution, back in 1997 Mayor Daley put together a similar group called the Mayor’s Parking Task Force, which looked at the issue of RPP. While the task force considered recommending a ban on the entire residential permit program, it backed off the full ban and instead asked for tighter controls on the program with the hope of reducing the number of permit parking zones.

This recommendation never got enacted and since 1997, RPP zones have continued to grow and frustrate both drivers and aldermen alike.

“We decided to bring this idea back up again,” explained Daley. “It has to do with residential permit parking, parking for trucks, permits for contractors working on people’s homes and other parking issues.”

City Clerk Miguel del Valle, who’s department administrates the residential permit parking program has been concerned with the unfettered growth of the RPP program for a long time.

About a year ago during City Council 2010 budget hearings, Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle said the residential permit parking program has become too big, difficult to administer and challenged alderman to review and reform it.

“Any system or program that has been in place for 30 years should be reviewed,” said del Valle back in 2009. “We should examine it to ensure it is as efficient as possible. The review may not result in significant changes, but we should still review it. We welcome the chance to be a part of any review the City Council does on this program.”

The original program began in 1979, and in the three decades since its creation, the program has grown to over 1340 RPP zones. In 2010, individual residential parking permits went up a healthy 8%, rising from 118,274 in 2009 to 127,912 permits through August 2010.

“We’re happy they’re forming the task force,” said City Clerk’s office spokesperson Kristine Williams. “It’s something we encouraged them to do and are happy they are doing it. We’re hopeful and glad the aldermen are taking this on and taking a look at residential parking.”

Alderman Daley is looking to bring other council members onto the task force and move forward as quickly as possible.

“Anywhere parking is an issue, we’ll reach out to other alderman who have these issues,” explains Daley. “We’ll sit down with alderman effected with this and go from there. ”

The resolution goes before the Traffic Control & Safety Committee on Monday, November 15th.

This past Saturday night I got a parking ticket two minutes after my time had expired. I then found out about the 5-minute grace period rule, and I thought I could use it to get the ticket dismissed.

The city website said to call their 800 number to find out what to do to make this happen. When I called Tuesday, I was told that the ticket wasn’t even in their system yet, and they couldn’t do
anything about it until then. The agent said there were a lot of tickets being processed from the holiday weekend, and suggested that I wait a week until the following Tuesday to try again.

I asked: “What about this warning on my ticket that says: ‘Within 7 days of this violation notice you must either pay the applicable fine or contest this violation notice’” ? I was worried that if I waited until next Tuesday to call back, my seven-day time limit would run out.

But the agent told me that the seven days doesn’t start until the violation gets posted in their system, and that I had nothing to worry about. Supposedly, the “violation notice” is not the ticket itself, but some more abstract thing that only exists after the city officially recognizes the ticket.

Is this true? Is the language on the ticket really that misleading? Is the seven-day thing really BS? Just last month my girlfriend realized that seven days had passed since she was issued a parking ticket, and drove to the 24-hour post office on Canal street to get her contestation postmarked by the deadline. Was there no need to hurry?

Thanks for your help, and your blog!

Noel

Actually, the person(s) you spoke to on the phone are correct Noel.

The clock on your ticket doesn’t technically start until it hits the system.

But, the reality is, you actually have a full 21 days to either send in a contest by mail or request an in-person hearing.

That’s because, when you do get your Notice of Violation in the mail, it will inform
you that you were ticketed and gives you 14 days from the date of the notice to handle the situation.

So, no need for you (or your girlfriend) to have panicked. You have relatively plenty of time.

Just don’t forget to contest by mail or request a hearing before your 21 day window closes.

The Geek

Dear Geek,

I woke up this morning to find a ticket for 09-76-150(b) (Parking with Burglar Alarm Sounding for Over 4 Minutes) attached to the rear view mirror of my Jeep.

I am all for the enforcing of loud obnoxious car alarms. I should be, because I DO NOT HAVE ONE ON MY VEHICLE!!

As I got into my car and started it, I noticed that the horn was not working, and that my airbag and check engine light were both illuminated, making me realize there may have been a short in my electrical system.

My first stop that morning was to my local mechanic, who has been the only mechanic performing routine work on my car over the past 5 years. He told me that the horn sounding
may have been caused by a short beyond my control due to heavy rains the night before, and the top being off my jeep. He also said he would write a statement about the lack of an alarm in my vehicle.

My second stop was the 19th Precinct (Belmont and Western) the helpful desk officer looked up my ticket number and said that there had been several calls at 4:30 that morning for “not so much a car alarm, but someone leaning on the horn of a car on the street” (I know, I am so sorry neighbors!!)

My question is this: What are my chances of winning when I contest this ticket?

My points will be:

A) No alarm (letters from both mechanic and insurance company)
B) Sound was out of my control (water shorted out electrical system causing horn
to short out)
C) Got horn and short fixed as soon as found problem.

Any other advice?

Thanks.

Roscoe Village Marine Veteran

Dear RVMV,

First, thank you for your service to our great nation.

Limp-wristed pansies like myself are eternally grateful real men like you are risking their lives to protect America’s freedom, so wussies like me can produce a website about fighting Chicago parking tickets.

I have to tell you though, this is one of the crazier ticket stories I’ve heard and is actually a pretty funny story.

But I think this should be an easy one to beat.

But I would suggest contesting this one in person because of the unique circumstances of this situation. This will allow you to interact with the hearing officer, and answer any additional questions they may have for  you.

To me, the best way is just to simply argue you don’t have a car alarm.

The letters from your mechanic and insurance company, combined with your testimony should do the trick.

I’m really not sure if you should go into the crazy story about the rain and the short circuit of the horn, etc.  It could possibly confuse the situation and I don’t want some nutty hearing officer to get creative and try to say your malfunctioning horn is the same as a car alarm.

But it’s your call on that aspect of your defense. You may not be able to avoid bringing the back story into your defense.

Ultimately, it boils down to you don’t have a car alarm, so therefore, no ticket should have been issued.

I would be shocked if you lost this one RVMV. Make sure you keep us posted on this one.

The Geek

I was reading that brochure the city released about parking motorcycles and scooters in Chicago, and it mentions that they can be parked in residential parking permit zones without a permit.

Out of curiosity I checked the parking statute for the Residential Permit Parking (RPP) zones and it makes no mention of motorcycles being excluded from those regulations.

Is this a sort of “unwritten rule” because they haven’t implemented a way to affix permits to motorcycles and scooters?

Also, since I am not a resident of Chicago I’m worried that I still might get a ticket for not having a city sticker (or emblem in this case) while parking my motorcycle in a RPP zone downtown. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Scott

Good for you for checking the Chicago municipal code on this Scott.

Interesting.

I’ve never checked the muni code, (but will) but it’s always been my understanding that motorcycles and scooters WERE exempt from RPP restrictions.

Not only had I read the same brochure you had, but I’ve discussed this same issue with Patrick Jones, the President of Chicago ABATE, the motorcycle rights organization, about this issue a few times.

The way Jones has explained it to me is, after many meetings with the Dept. of Revenue’s Matt Darst (who recently left the DOR), ABATE came to an understanding with DOR that motorcycles and scooters are exempt from RPP violations and are free to park in any RPP zone without worry of being ticketed.

In fact, motorcycle drivers that HAVE been ticketed usually get a letter a week or two after their ticket telling them there was a screw up and the ticket was “non-suited” or in other words, thrown out.

The ABATE website even has a page dedicated to explaining this issue.

So, I wouldn’t sweat it Scott.

If you get a ticket and it’s not non-suited by the city, you can use the city’s brochure as evidence and you would most likely win.

The Geek

Ask The Parking Ticket Geek is a semi-regular parking ticket advice column.

If you have a question for The Parking Ticket Geek, please e-mail the Geek with your query at:askthegeek@theexpiredmeter.com

And those under performing Pirates come to Chicago and open up a three game stand against the Cubs with two back to back night games.

First pitch is at 7:05 both Monday and Tuesday evening.

This deep in the season, Chicago drivers should know the drill by now: stay the heck out of Wrigleyville/Lakeview if you don’t have the proper residential permit parking stickers, guest passes or private parking.

Night game parking restrictions begin at 5 PM.

Otherwise, you’ll be in for a $60 ticket, and potentially expensive trip down to the auto pound via tow truck to the tune of $160.

If you’re coming to the game and feel the need to drive, check out our handy dandy driving and parking tips.

The first pitch is at 7:05 PM, but parking restrictions start at 5 PM.

Of course, if you are parked on the street in the Wrigleyville/Lakeview neighborhood and don’t have the proper residential parking permit or guest pass you will be ticketed ($60) and could be towed ($120.00).

A memory lapse on game night could be an expensive mistake.

We advise avoiding the area altogether on game nights. Not only for the parking restrictions but for the overall driving and parking chaos that go hand in hand with a Cubs night game.

If you must drive, here are some tips we’d like to share with you.

Both games get started at 7:05 PM.

But drivers without proper passes, stickers or private parking should get the heck out of Wrigleyville no later than 5 PM.

Well, unless you like being ticketed and towed to the auto pound, which is always a hilarious time.

Be advised, a phalanx of cops, PEAs and tow truck drivers will be all over the area both nights doing what they do best–making drivers feel crappy.

Here’s some tips on driving to, and parking around Wrigley.

Because Chicago may be cracking down on people illegally selling guest parking passes to Cubs or Sox fans looking for parking to catch a ballgame in Chicago.

According to the Tribune’s Clout Street blog, Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) who’s ward is where Wrigley resides, and Ald. James Balcer who represents the 11th, the  ward where Comiskey Park calls home, are co-sponsors of a law that could send an offender to jail for a night for violating this law.

Residents of these two wards can purchase temporary guest passes for friends or relatives visiting them. But they cannot be re-sold at a profit to fans looking or a cheap parking alternative to parking lots surrounding the ballparks.

Despite the threat of fines of between $200-$500 for the practice, there are still residents who find a way to profit from illegally re-selling guest parking passes.

This abuse of the residential permit parking system has frustrated city officials for years, including Chicago City Clerk Miguel Del Valle who testified at city budget hearings condemning the practice and asking for action to stop it.

Although this potential new ordinance was not discussed at last Wednesday’s Transportation Committee meeting, look for it to be back in action at the April meeting so it can be in full effect for the start of the baseball season.

Here’s the Tribune’s full story, “Selling one-day parking permits around Wrigley, the Cell could bring day in jail.”