Toledo parking ticket flap continues

The fallout continues after Toledoans are ticketed for parking in their own driveways! The tickets were issued last week -- not by police officers, but by the commissioner of streets, bridges, and harbor. (See original story here)

13abc's Christine Long found out the police union is now considering taking the city to court to stop other city employees from writing parking tickets.

Bruce Lulfs received not one, not two, but three $25 parking tickets last week-- all because his vehicles were parked on the gravel part of his driveway, something he's been doing for 12 years. "I have a paved section of the driveway, and I have a stone section on each side, and the curb is lowered at the road for this whole section. Never had a problem."

He's not alone. The commissioner of streets, bridges, and harbors Sue Frederick wrote a total of seven tickets in the 400 and 500 blocks of North Holland-Sylvania Road after receiving a complaint.

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner stands by the action, maintaining the residents violated a city law. He says in Toledo it's illegal to park on gravel or anything unpaved.

The president of the police union disagrees. Dan Wagner says, "When I was out on the streets patrolling and I was sent to a call such as this, that your car is parked on the grass, I wouldn't even cite. I'd go up to the door and say 'You can't park on the grass. If you're going to park, it's got to be paved or gravelled.' I would tell them 'or gravelled.'"

But Wagner says if he's wrong, the city needs to look in the mirror. "Our impound lot where we tow vehicles that are towed from accidents or seized by police is a gravelled lot as well. So are we in violation of city charter, according to Sue Frederick? And why isn't she out there citing the city?"

Meanwhile, Lulfs says Frederick trespassed on his property when she wrote the tickets.

Councilman D. Michael Collins says he'll pay for the residents' fines. (See related story here) "It's an embarrassing situation for the city of Toledo and frankly as an elected official, I have to apologize to the citizens of this city."

13abc spoke with Frederick on the phone Tuesday and she agreed to talk with us on camera, if the city okayed it. We put in the request, but were told the mayor's chief of staff refused to let Frederick talk with us.

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