There shall be a Parking Commission of five members who shall
be electors of the Town, together with the First Selectman as an ex
officio member, who shall vote only in the case of a tie. With the
exception of the First Selectman, the members shall serve without
compensation and shall hold no other office of trust or emolument
in the Town government. Service on committees of the Town government
is not prohibited by this section, provided that such service does
not create a conflict of interest as defined in the Town Code of Ethics.
The Selectmen shall on or promptly after the first day of December
in each year appoint the necessary number of members of the Parking
Commission to fill the vacancies occurring by reason of the expiration
of the term of office of any member. Such appointment shall be for
a term of three years from the first day of December and until their
successors have been appointed and shall have qualified. There shall
be minority representation on the Commission in accordance with § 9-167a
of the General Statutes.
On or promptly after the first day of December in each year,
the Parking Commission shall meet at the call of the First Selectman
to choose one of its appointed members to be Chairman and one of its
appointed members to be Secretary. The Chairman shall, when present,
preside at all meetings of the Commission and shall have a vote as
a member thereof. In the absence of the Chairman, the Board shall
choose one of its members Chairman pro tempore. The Secretary shall
file in the office of the Town Clerk a full and detailed record of
all proceedings, acts and resolutions of the Commission, including
the vote of each member on all actions taken, and such record shall
be a public record. Three members shall be a quorum for the transaction
of business at any meeting.
The Parking Commission shall:
(1) Recommend to the Board of Selectmen such policies, rules and procedures
as may be applicable to the maintenance and operation of all public
off-street parking facilities owned or controlled by the Town.
(2) Recommend to the Board of Selectmen the acquisition of land and other
property necessary for or incidental to the establishment, maintenance
and operation of public off-street parking facilities by purchase,
lease or condemnation.
(3) Consider offers of gifts or devises of land or money to be used for
purposes of this article and recommend to the Board of Selectmen acceptance
or rejection thereof.
(4) Recommend to the Board of Selectmen the establishment of such fees
and such rules as may be appropriate for the parking of vehicles on
public off-street parking facilities owned or controlled by the Town,
and make similar recommendations to the Police Commission for the
parking of vehicles on any public street. Such fees shall be collected
under the direction of the Board of Selectmen and shall be turned
over by the Board of Selectmen to the Town Treasurer for deposit in
the Town General Fund, unless the use or disposition of such fees
are subject to the terms and provisions of a bond indenture relating
to the issuance of revenue bonds.
(5) Recommend to the Board of Selectmen the installation of parking meters
on public off-street parking facilities owned or controlled by the
Town, and on public streets. No contract requiring the expenditure
of money for the purchase or installation thereof shall be submitted
to the Town Council by the Board of Selectmen unless accompanied by
a recommendation by the Board of Finance.
(6) The Parking Commission shall prepare and submit to the Board of Selectmen
and to the Planning and Zoning Commission plans for the provision
of public off-street parking facilities, which plans shall be completed
on or before the 15th day of November next after the Parking Commission's
appointment. Annually thereafter, the Parking Commission shall update
such plans and submit the same to the Board of Selectmen and to the
Planning and Zoning Commission on or before the 15th day of November.
(7) Consider and recommend to the Police Commission such rules and regulations
as it deems advisable for improvement of traffic circulation and parking
within the Town of New Canaan.
(8) Hear parking citation appeals if authorized by ordinance.
The Board of Selectmen shall prepare annually an itemized estimate
of expenses for the maintenance or operation of public off-street
parking facilities for the ensuing fiscal year and of expenses of
the Parking Commission, including such professional assistance to
the Commission as may be approved by the Board of Selectmen, and shall
submit such estimate and its request for an appropriation to cover
such expenses to the Board of Finance and expend such appropriation,
all in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Town Charter.
The Board of Selectmen shall present to the Board of Finance promptly
after the effective date of this article an estimate of expenses for
the remainder of the fiscal year and a request for an appropriation
therefor.
Nothing in this article shall be constructed to abrogate or
render invalid any existing contract to which the Town or the Board
of Selectmen as the Parking Commission were parties and which relate
to leases or to the duties or functions to be performed by the Town,
and all such leases and contracts shall be carried out on behalf of
the Town by the Board of Selectmen.