Lakeview Residents Claim Tickets Issued Despite Absence Of 'No Parking' Signs
(CBS) -- There's not a lot of free parking in the city today, so imagine the reaction for some drivers who found a stretch of road without any "no parking" signs in sight.
Then imagine their surprise when they found tickets on their cars. Even a Chicago Police officer was surprised.
CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker has this Original Report.
In the middle of the 500 block of West Addison Street, there is a sign prohibiting parking, but only when there's more than two inches of snow; and at the east end, near the corner, there is a no parking sign.
"It's for the area in front of the turn lane," said Stacy Culp.
Convinced the sign doesn't cover the entire block, Culp felt confident to park there. So when she recently received two $75 parking tickets, she appealed with photos, certain the judge throw them out. She didn't.
"I was furious. I was so angry," said Culp. "There are no meters and no signs that say you can't park."
Her neighbors, whose cars line the same street, must also think it's okay to park there, which is why some have tickets.
The city's Department of Finance wrote the tickets, and initially a city spokeswoman said the no parking sign covered the whole block, but when we reminded her of the conflicting snow sign, she offered to take a second look.
"That sign there means bus stop to the back," said Chicago Police Lt. Richard Plotke. "That sign no parking is from that sign forward. I think that sign to that sign is free to park."
The city is reviewing the situation, and promises to take another look at the parking tickets and the parking signs.
