Parking tickets? (vehicle, 2013, windshield, towing)

[Minion27]

I recently moved into a new apartment. Right outside of my door (2 feet away) is a parking lot which I assumed I was able to park in since its in my front lawn and the other houses are surrounding the lot (all my neighbors are parking in the lot). I recieved a ticket for parking on private property. Apparently it's owned by the church And they don't use it- but they let the neighbors pay 15 dollars a month to park there. I called the church and asked if they were renting spots and they told me they were. I told them I would like to rent a spot and they told me I could rent spot #19. I asked when I needed to pay it and if i could park there. she said she would let me know tomorrow but that I could park there for now. So I got an information page with everything I needed to rent the spot. Written on it said "spot #19 please return form and money by 9/13/2013". So I was going to pay it on Sunday and then I got a letter in the mail for another ticket saying I owed over 100 dollars for another ticket because I parked on their private property. What the heck? They told me it didn't need paid until 9/13? What do I do from here? I don't think I should be getting this ticket, especially after they told me I didn't have to pay until the 13th. Should I go I to the police station and explain the situation and give them my letter? I can't really afford to pay 100 dollars on a stupid parking violation that they weren't even suppose to give to me in the first place.

[NARFALICIOUS]

What city is this? Stop dealing with this bull**** and park on the street, if you can.

[Minion27]

Well, i wouldn't mind the walk but i have to carry two kids under 2 to my door and up the outside stairs (we live on the 2nd floor) by myself at 11pm because my husband works overnights. I would park on the street but there is never any spots open close by and it's really hard carrying the two kids inside my house at dark. I'm just annoyed that they told me I could park there and pay them on the 13th and then I get a ticket.

[manderly6]

Call the church and ask them.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by Minion27

I got a letter in the mail for another ticket saying I owed over 100 dollars for another ticket because I parked on their private property.

LEO do not issue tickets on private property. Pay it if you wish but it will not be collectable if you do not.

[greg42]

Who is issuing a ticket? I don't think it's a "ticket" in the form that it would be if you were on a street. There's no real enforcement for the private lot except towing your car.

If the church owns the lot, ask them what the heck is going on. They should be able to make it go away if it's their private lot. Nothing is happening there that they didn't authorize.

[rbohm]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

LEO do not issue tickets on private property. Pay it if you wish but it will not be collectable if you do not.

follow this advice and the op can lose their car due to unpaid parking tickets. yes LEOs CAN write parking tickets on private property IF the property owner asks them to. and it has the full force of law behind the ticket, which means any penalty that goes with non payment of a parking ticket fully applies.

[texdav]

That is better than some who have signup and law allows towing away by wreckers who is car not allowed I saw on TV the other night. A muncipal government can pass a law on ticketing on private lot instead of towing.Just has some state allow a police officer to write a ticket for certain violation in the drive thru portion of a private parking lot;plus arrest for drivnig under influence.

[CALGUY]

Originally Posted by rbohm

follow this advice and the op can lose their car due to unpaid parking tickets. yes LEOs CAN write parking tickets on private property IF the property owner asks them to. and it has the full force of law behind the ticket, which means any penalty that goes with non payment of a parking ticket fully applies.

To a point you are correct.
Here in Los Angeles, there is a very obscure law that states one can not park a vehicle on a front lawn in any yard.
If that same area has cement, instead of grass, it is assumed the space is for parking, but if it is grass, it is considered not a parking spot.
How do I know this?
Years ago I was resurfacing my driveway, and rather than park the car on the street for the time it would take to apply the material, and cure, I opted to park it on my front lawn.
I put a car cover over it because I knew I would not be using the car for three or four days.
To my amazement when I removed the cover four days later, there was a parking ticket on the windshield.
The violation number was given, and that violation stated no parking on grass in front yard of property.
WELL, to say I was pissed would be a gross understatement.
I would not take this lying down.
I investigated the violation in the city vehicle codes, and it was as I stated.
Determined to not pay this ticket, I looked for other reasons why the ticket should not be paid, and I found one.
Originally I felt it was private property, and the police had no authority to enter my property without a warrant.
I couldn't get them on that, but through further investigation, I did get them on one illegality, that freed me from having to pay the ticket.
The policeman, in an effort to gain access to the license plate number, and vin number, had to raise the cover to search for both.
That action was ruled an illegal search because the policeman had no warrant to search the vehicle.
By lifting the cover that was on the vehicle he searched the license plate , and vin number without benefit of a warrant.
Bob.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by CALGUY

The policeman, in an effort to gain access to the license plate number, and vin number, had to raise the cover to search for both.
That action was ruled an illegal search because the policeman had no warrant to search the vehicle.
By lifting the cover that was on the vehicle he searched the license plate , and vin number without benefit of a warrant.

Nice one!