Those who are eligible for the parking fee refund will be sent a postcard in the mail with instructions on how to be reimbursed. City officials are emphasizing that parking meter tickets have not been part of the clerical error and are not eligible for any refunds.
The number of incorrectly charged tickets is under investigation, but they include tickets issued for parking in prohibited zones, vehicles without a permit, overnight parking, fire hydrant/fire lane parking, traffic hazards, abandoned vehicles and parking on a sidewalk/curb/tree lawn.
The overcharge appears to have been caused after new tickets were ordered for implementation in January 2013 after fines increased for the city’s parking violations at the end of 2012.
Since January of 2013, many parking ticket recipients were instructed to pay a $20 fine, although the actual penalty approved by City Council was only $15.
City officials pointed out that the police officers writing the tickets were unaware of the discrepancy, and after learning of the error, immediate action was taken. “We regret this error occurred and will make every effort to make it right for our residents and visitors,” City Manager, Tanisha Briley, was quoted in a press release.
For more information, the City of Cleveland Heights has set up a new page on their website, in addition to a voicemail account at (216) 291-3012 for anyone else seeking an eligible refund.
This article appears in Sep 19-25, 2018.