parking ticket for parking on private property

[lilafter]

What is the name of your state?- california

hi, i live in los angeles and have received about 14 tickets for parking on my private property since jan 07. same violation- mc 80.71.3- parking/front yard, all issued after 12:00 midnight by 4 different parking enforcement operators.

first, i am not parked in my front yard, but in front of my residence behind the prevailing required front yard setback. basically, i have a much deeper front area than the rest of the buildings sharing the same frontage and was able to obtain a class "A" permit from building and safety to create a curb cut for driveway to park behind the front yard setback.

all was well for over a year since driveway completed then suddenly i started getting tickets- the same violation each time. everytime, average 3-5 times a week, i have to call up parking enforcement b/c of cars blocking the driveway. NEVER have they said my parking was illegal and once in conversation regarding multiple illegal front yard parking in neighborhood- paving 100% of front area for parking, was told they do not ticket on private property.

there are currently about 14 residences in my neighborhood with 80-100% paved front area for parking. none received parking tickets on their cars. last time i found another ticket, i drove around before work, 6am and did not see any tickets on cars obviously parked illegally in their 100% paved front yards.

per mc 80.71.3 code it states "... exclusive of any area used as a driveway to access a garage or other parking structure" i am parked on a open parking space- ie other parking structure.

the class "A" permit under remarks states- per building and safety ok to park behind front yard setback.

i even placed a copy of the class "A" permit on dashboard with note to parking enforcement but continued to get more tickets. can they not read????? now i'm forced to street park where it is a huge hassle which was why i created the off street parking in the first place.

i contacted my city council district office but despite all the information supplied parking enforcement still continues to say the tickets are valid.

help! what can i do?

is parking enforcement allowed to ticket on private property? reading thru threads, seems like it was the police dept issuing tickets for non regs and junk cars?

[Zigner]

LAMC 80.71.3 No person shall park any vehicle in the front yard of any residential property. The front yard consists of that area in the front off the property between the adjacent street and any building or structure thereon, exclusive of a circular driveway or any area used as a driveway to access a garage or other parking structure and exclusive of any area more than 50 feet from the adjacent street to the residence. The front yard shall not include a widened driveway adjacent to a garage installed for the express purpose to park a recreational vehicle, motorhome, or boat trailer.

Is your car parked further than 50 feet from the street? If not, it sounds like you are in violation of the section. "...other parking structure" would refer to something along the lines of a carport.
And, whether or not you see tickets on other cars is largely irrelevant to the tickets on your car.

[justalayman]

help! what can i do?

Does the ticket give you the option of contesting it, maybe along with directions as to how to initiate such a rebuttal of charges?


As Zigner posted, an open air parking space is not a "structure" so that reasoning won't fly. If you are more than the requisit 50 feet from the street, contest the things in court.