The College Park City Council approved an ordinance last night that would give parking ticket recipients an option to appeal a ticket at City Hall and the chance to pay a reduced fine or have their fine voided, as opposed to attending a court hearing in Hyattsville. Bob Ryan, director of city public services, said the ordinance would ease the ticket issuing process. Currently citizens have to either pay the specified amount or, if they have a complaint, go to district court in Hyattsville to appeal the ticket, Ryan said. Under the new ordinance, violators can appear before a hearing officer at City Hall and explain why they should not have to pay some or all of a ticket's fine. Councilman Stephen Brayman, who represents downtown College Park, where most city meters are located, proposed the ordinance because he said he wanted to lessen the barrage of fines paid through parking tickets.
College Park is very good at writing tickets.
I believe this ordinance would be in the best interest of everybody. Brayman said as a campus student he received many parking tickets that almost cost his registration to be flagged. He was, however, quick to point out the new ordinance would not eliminate accountability with all violators. It's a process to see if anybody has any mitigating circumstances to explain. These circumstances could include instances where the driver couldn't refeed the meter for reasons beyond their control, Brayman said.