Residents justifiably upset over parking tickets issued to them while parked in a private driveway!

TOLEDO, Ohio - June 15, 2009 - Although not outlined in the city charter, a city memo has allowed workers with the city of Toledo’s Division of Streets, Bridges and Harbor to issue parking citations to citizens.

It was learned over the weekend that Susan Frederick, acting commissioner with streets, bridges and harbor, fined several motorists for parking in their driveways on Holland-Sylvania near Dorr Street.

"I've lived here 43 years and last Thursday we had our 44th wedding anniversary," said Charles Robertson, who received a parking violation. "I got a present from the city. Isn't that nice?"

Residents' vehicles were parked on a turn-around portion of their driveway in front of their property, something they need to do to safely get out of their drive and onto Holland-Sylvania, which at times can be busy.

Megan Robson, spokesperson for Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, released a statement to the media Monday evening.

"The Commissioner of Streets, Bridges and Harbor responded by going to the location of the complaint to assess whether it was valid or not," Robson said in the statement. "She personally observed that it was a valid complaint. She observed several illegally parked vehicles along the first street she visited.

"While there, a neighbor asked her to check out his street, which also had a number of illegally parked vehicles. Once she observed that they were also illegally parked, she cited them, too. The City of Toledo supports its laws in general and illegally parked vehicles can and will be ticketed, and these tickets are considered valid."

The city fined residents $25.