City of Ames Parking

[cyfan964]

I live in a residential area near campus (roughly 10 blocks away) and have lived in this house for 10+ years. The neighborhood is all residential and all middle aged-older families. It is alternate side parking and also is posted for a 4 hr time limit.

Being in an older neighborhood from the early 1900s all of the driveways are single car with small single car garages. This makes living here with multiple cars a hassle. After having parked a car, on the correct side of the street, for 10 years out of the blue myself and all of my neighbors have been getting ticketed for the 4 hour limit, which has never been enforced.

My question. Would you just live with it? Would you fight the ticket? Who would I talk to at the city to get the 4 hour limit sign amended? Do I just pay the fine and jockey my cars around?

Just curious how others would handle it.

 

[MeowingCows]

Complain to the city about it. The worst they can say is "no".

 

[Angie]

I don't know that you'll be able to fight the ticket - you don't really have any grounds, since it is a posted ordinance that you all were violating.

I don't know if it might be worth talking to a city councilperson, though - I doubt there is much you can do to expand your cars and driveways, so you're sort of stuck.

 

[3TrueFans]

A residential street with a 4 hour time limit?

 

[cyfan964]

A residential street with a 4 hour time limit?

Storm St. It is both a 4 hour limit and alternate side parking. Just idiotic. Everyone around me is a family, like us, or an elderly couple. It makes no sense.

 

[chuckd4735]

Obviously the alternate side requirement is done to keep college students from storing their cars along your street, so Im sure you appreciate that restriction. The four hour limit is a ludicrous requirement especially in a neighborhood with single car driveways and garages.

Working for a City, I can tell you the best thing is to figure out who your City Council rep is, and contact them about removing the 4 hour limit. I'm not exactly sure how Ames works, but typically when marching orders come from elected officials to City staff, things get done a little quicker.

 

[3TrueFans]

Yeah the alternate side is reasonable, I don't get the 4 hour thing though.

 

[cyfan964]

Obviously the alternate side requirement is done to keep college students from storing their cars along your street, so Im sure you appreciate that restriction. The four hour limit is a ludicrous requirement especially in a neighborhood with single car driveways and garages.

Working for a City, I can tell you the best thing is to figure out who your City Council rep is, and contact them about removing the 4 hour limit. I'm not exactly sure how Ames works, but typically when marching orders come from elected officials to City staff, things get done a little quicker.

Exactly. I wrote an email to the parking division saying that I have paid the alternate side parking tickets without question, but this 4 hour limit is crazy. I asked them why it was mandated and who at the city I could speak with about getting it amended.

 

[KCCLONE712]

it's a ten dollar ticket, right? A parking ticket in Chicago is 80ish bucks, that that stings

 

[ISUCubswin]

It's all based on who's assigned to your street. Usually when there is a change, they become sticklers just to prove they're all that.

Worked at a restaurant for 7 years before graduating from ISU. The first 5 years, our delivery drivers always parked in the back of the store, even though it was reserved for delivery trucks.

However, out of nowhere, our drivers were getting tickets up the wazoo for about two weeks. Seemed like they could be parked for two minutes and a ticket would be on their windshield.

Owner called the police about it - police said the dude watching over it was new, he was technically following the law because the drivers couldn't park there, and if I recall correctly, they took away the tickets with the threat that any more tickets would have to be paid.

This forced drivers to park farther away from the restaurant. Within 3 months, they were parking back in their spots, with no tickets.

 

[ISUCubswin]

My favorite parking ticket story was when I went in to get a gift card at Main Street Deli in Ames.

I knew it would be quick. It was 5:25 PM (yes, I checked), they stop charging meters at 5:30. So I went for it.

I got back in my car at 5:28, no police in site, and had a parking ticket on my car.

Don't get me wrong, I was in the wrong, but I couldn't believe how quick it happened...it was like they were just waiting for me.

 

[cyfan964]

It's all based on who's assigned to your street. Usually when there is a change, they become sticklers just to prove they're all that.

Worked at a restaurant for 7 years before graduating from ISU. The first 5 years, our delivery drivers always parked in the back of the store, even though it was reserved for delivery trucks.

However, out of nowhere, our drivers were getting tickets up the wazoo for about two weeks. Seemed like they could be parked for two minutes and a ticket would be on their windshield.

Owner called the police about it - police said the dude watching over it was new, he was technically following the law because the drivers couldn't park there, and if I recall correctly, they took away the tickets with the threat that any more tickets would have to be paid.

This forced drivers to park farther away from the restaurant. Within 3 months, they were parking back in their spots, with no tickets.

I agree. I'm guessing it is just a new parking sheriff. I called Ames Parking and they refused to waive the ticket because it was "clearly posted."

 

[Clonefan94]

I would talk to the neighbors and go to the city. Usually these kind of things are enforced because of complaints from those on the street. Theoretically, the city works for you, so if you and your neighbors go there asking for a change, I don't see why they wouldn't change it for you.

Then again, a lot of this stuff by local govt. seems to be a money grab anymore. "Why ask the citizens what they want, when we can just nickel and dime em to death."

Seriously though, if you and your neighbors went in asking for a change, i don't see why the city wouldn't at least work with you on the issue.

 

[theshadow]

Working for a City, I can tell you the best thing is to figure out who your City Council rep is, and contact them about removing the 4 hour limit. I'm not exactly sure how Ames works, but typically when marching orders come from elected officials to City staff, things get done a little quicker.

Storm St. is in Ward 1. Gloria Betcher is the W1 council rep. Amber Corrieri is an at-large rep, and the other at-large seat is up for election this fall.

http://www.storycountyiowa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4755

 

[carvers4math]

it's a ten dollar ticket, right? A parking ticket in Chicago is 80ish bucks, that that stings

My brother-in-law got a $5 ticket in Ames for not getting back to the meter in time on Lincoln Way across from Friley. That was a couple of years ago, not sure if they have raised it yet. As he pointed out, it was not much different than feeding the meter.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Some cities have these with 4 hour limit or such without a city issued resident permit issued to people who actually live on the street.

 

[VeloClone]

The 4 hour limit was probably originally in response to complaints about students parking the street full all day while in classes.

 

[cobraclone71]

Storm St. is in Ward 1. Gloria Betcher is the W1 council rep. Amber Corrieri is an at-large rep, and the other at-large seat is up for election this fall.

http://www.storycountyiowa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4755

Somebody whip up a cyfan964 yard sign! He's got my vote!

 

[cyfan964]

Storm St. is in Ward 1. Gloria Betcher is the W1 council rep. Amber Corrieri is an at-large rep, and the other at-large seat is up for election this fall.

http://www.storycountyiowa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4755

Thank you!

 

[cyfan964]

Somebody whip up a cyfan964 yard sign! He's got my vote!

cyfan964 for President 2020