The Chief of Police is authorized to suspend the parking regulations
and prohibit parking temporarily in any area where it is necessary in order
to facilitate the removal of snow or sleet or to prevent the obstruction or
safe flow of traffic in time of heavy snowfall or other severe weather. He
shall give notice of such temporary prohibition and its rescission by radio
and/or local television. In the event of snowfall of five inches or more,
parking on public streets shall be temporarily prohibited until such time
as the prohibition is rescinded by radio and/or local television.
Any person whose vehicle is immobilized or impounded because of the
existence of four or more outstanding citations may request an immediate hearing
on the validity of the charges on which the immobilization or impoundment
was based. A hearing shall be convened thereafter by one of the parking violation
hearing officers as soon as practicable. The procedure for the hearing shall
be informal as to the rules of evidence, but testimony shall be taken under
oath or affirmation. In considering the charges, the hearing officer may consider
all relevant facts and circumstances and may require the personal appearance
of the person requesting the hearing and the issuing officer. Should the hearing
officer find in favor of the person charged, he shall so certify to the town,
and the record of charge or charges shall be removed from the files of the
town and the vehicle released to the owner. Should the hearing officer find
the issuance of the charge or charges proper, he shall so certify to the town,
and no further appeal for a hearing shall be considered. The hearing officer
shall determine the amount due the town for the cost of immobilization or
impoundment and the amount due for citations outstanding. The owner may regain
possession by paying the amount found due by the hearing officer and establishing
his identity and right to possession and upon signing a proper receipt for
the vehicle. If not paid on the same day, the owner shall also pay all charges
due for storage of the vehicle.
The Chief of Police or his designee may void a parking ticket in the
following circumstances:
A. Ticket is on its face improper in that it is incomplete
or contains obvious errors;
B. Tickets issued to the blind, handicapped or veterans,
pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-253a, Section 14-254 and
Section 14-290, respectively.
C. Tickets issued to official police, fire and any vehicles
exempt by statutes (marked or unmarked).
In any hearing charging a violation of any law or regulation governing the standing or parking of a vehicle, proof that the particular vehicle described in the complaint was parked in violation of any law or regulation described in §
216-3, together with proof that the defendant named in the complaint was at the time of such parking the registered owner of such vehicle, shall constitute in evidence a prima facie presumption that the registered owner of such vehicle was the person who parked or placed the vehicle at the point where, and for the time during which, such violation occurred. If the vehicle is unregistered, it is presumed that the last registered owner is the present owner of said vehicle.