[url]http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/article/839531--get-cars-off-your-lawn-golf-course-neighbours-told?bn=1[/url]
[QUOTE]
A group of neighbourhood kids selling parking spots on their front lawns during the Canadian Open have been warned by city bylaw officials to stop.
If they don’t, they could be charged $25,000.
According to residents of Princess Margaret Blvd., two men driving a beige Toyota Prius pulled up late Thursday afternoon.
“He flashed his badge and said, ‘We will tolerate this in your driveway, but get the cars off your lawn,’ ” said an angry Karen Howe, whose children Maura, 15, and Connor, 18, have been selling cold drinks and parking spots to those attending the tournament at St. George’s Golf and Country Club.
She added the officer was “so condescending it was unbelievable . . . it feels very David and Goliath.”
Howe’s children have been using four spots on their driveway and three on their lawn this week.
A stone’s throw away from the course’s main entrance, parking is $30 a day, $75 for three days or $150 for the entire week — a price scale agreed upon by about six other families on the street, also selling parking.
Just like Howe’s son, Victoria Regan is raising seed money for university tuition. She starts a degree at Ryerson in the fall.
A homemade sign drawn with marker outside her home reads: “Please! We want a higher education.”
“We’re just kids,” said the 18-year-old. “We’re not trying to cause any trouble.”
Curtis Sealock, district manager for municipal licensing and standards, confirmed that a complaint from the area prompted Thursday’s warning from municipal standards officers.
He said that while it is technically illegal to sell parking spots, “we’re not even going to go there,” reiterating that his officers only warned against parking on front lawns. Driveways are all right.
According to Sealock, if the residents of Princess Margaret Blvd. continue to park cars on their front lawns, they could be charged with the violation of a zoning bylaw, the maximum penalty for which is $25,000 for one offence and doubles to $50,000 for a second.
If found guilty, the courts would determine the penalty.
“That is ridiculous,” said Howe when the Star informed her of the potential consequence. “I would just love to see my 15-year-old in a court of law defending a $25,000 fine.”
For Howe, this latest development is especially frustrating.
“This Canadian Open has come in and turned our lives upside down . . . the city has been complicit with St. George’s in allowing them all kinds of transgressions such as closing a major artery in the city. I practically have to show I.D. to get into my own driveway,” she said.
“We thought this parking was a neat little upside to the disarray that has become our lives. And then to be bullied by a bylaw officer?”
Victoria’s father, Larry Regan, agrees.
“We have to put up with the construction, the road closures, yet they’re coming and bugging us. . . . I said to (the officers), ‘The kids are just having a gas,’ ” he said.
There is precedent for selling parking on front lawns in Toronto. Neighbours of the Canadian National Exhibition have been doing so for about two decades with the help of a special bylaw, said Angie Antoniou, manager of traffic planning for the city of Toronto.
“There are exemptions on some of the streets around the exhibition,” she said, adding that it is the only place in the city where such an exemption exists for a special event.
As for the officer’s curt demeanour, Sealock said it was the first time he had heard of it. “I’m not defending, but we are an enforcement agency. Whenever we come into a situation and enforce, normally people are not happy.”
“We received a complaint and responded to the complaint,” he added.
Saturday and Sunday are the Canadian Open’s two busiest days.
Will the residents of Princess Margaret Blvd. continue to park cars on their front lawns?
“The guys on the street aren’t sure what we’re going to do right now,” said Larry Regan.
[/QUOTE]
They know they live across from a golf course and they think they're justified to sell parking on lawn LOL. I hope they get those nice $25,000 fine per car. It's not like the enforcement are not allowing them to sell parking, as long as it's on the driveway.
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Jul 24th, 2010 09:53 AM #1Jr. Member

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Whiney ppl crying to The Star b/c they aren't allowed to park on lawn
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Jul 24th, 2010 09:55 AM #2
and your thoughts are? :confused:
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Jul 24th, 2010 09:57 AM #3Jr. Member
[OP]

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[QUOTE=Akraz;11202821]and your thoughts are? :confused:[/QUOTE]
and your thoughts are?LOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked inline6 for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 10:32 AM #4
i say who cares.
they are the ones ruining their own lawn, obviously it's just short term.
it's not like the whole neighborhood isn't already super crowded if they are that close to the main gate.
considering this is RFD you will probably have been applauding them making money in which they then compare that to the damage to their lawn.
or you will have people whining that they aren't the ones making money and that they should never be allowed to do that since they will bring down their own property value for the short term, or something equally as silly._______________
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Jul 24th, 2010 10:35 AM #5
[QUOTE=inline6;11202827]and your thoughts are?[/QUOTE]
You firstLOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked yao416 for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 10:35 AM #6
[i]“We’re just kids,” said the 18-year-old. “We’re not trying to cause any trouble.”[/i]
No, you're not a 'kid'. You're an 18 year old [b]adult[/b]. Grow up, and listen to the nice bylaw officers. If you want, take down your fence, and park 'em in the back yard. That's what people in London do near Labatt's Park (baseball stadium).LOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked _Allan_ for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 10:38 AM #7
People always have some sob story when they break the law. Boo hoo!
Give them a day to remove the vehicles, then start fining them!LOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked Asmegin for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 10:53 AM #8
I'm the first to defend civil liberties and complain about silly laws. This by-law seems reasonable though - residential communities are not industrial parking lots.
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Jul 24th, 2010 11:09 AM #9
what's a bylaw officer, a loser who couldn't become a real cop because of some mental issues. I ran into a couple of these guys before, truly bottom end people.
"She added the officer was “so condescending it was unbelievable . . . it feels very David and Goliath.' "LOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked sleepmode for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 11:14 AM #10
[QUOTE=sleepmode;11203080]what's a bylaw officer, a loser who couldn't become a real cop because of some mental issues. I ran into a couple of these guys before, truly bottom end people.
"She added the officer was “so condescending it was unbelievable . . . it feels very David and Goliath.' "[/QUOTE]
What is a bylaw officer? Someone who doesn't want to be a police officer. Someone who chooses not to do it. In Ontario, ByLaw officers are legally Police Officers, they are sworn in by the Chief of Police for their location, they have a police badge, and are given the same respect as Peace Officers.LOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked _Allan_ for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 11:19 AM #11
[QUOTE=sleepmode;11203080]what's a bylaw officer, a loser who couldn't become a real cop because of some mental issues. I ran into a couple of these guys before, truly bottom end people.
"She added the officer was “so condescending it was unbelievable . . . it feels very David and Goliath.' "[/QUOTE]
Actually, many by-law officers do go on to become cops, or border officers, Correctional officers, etc. It's a lengthy process so they do it to gain relevant experience. But good job on showing what an uneducated loser you are._______________
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Jul 24th, 2010 11:21 AM #12
[QUOTE=sleepmode;11203080]what's a bylaw officer, a loser who couldn't become a real cop because of some mental issues. I ran into a couple of these guys before, truly bottom end people.
"She added the officer was “so condescending it was unbelievable . . . it feels very David and Goliath.' "[/QUOTE]
Why is it that people like you consider security guards,by-law officers,special constables, etc. as people who "couldn't become real police officers"? it seems like you are the one with mental issues.LOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked Zephyr22b for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 11:24 AM #13
[QUOTE=_Allan_;11203104]What is a bylaw officer? Someone who doesn't want to be a police officer. Someone who chooses not to do it. In Ontario, ByLaw officers are legally Police Officers, they are sworn in by the Chief of Police for their location, they have a police badge, and are given the same respect as Peace Officers.[/QUOTE]
Parking maids are shown the same respect as peace officers? In bizarro world may be. I doubt people would even protest in the slightest when a cop gives them a ticket but when it's a meter maid, they get socked in the face.LOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked The Radio Dept. for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 12:12 PM #14
[QUOTE=Canuck32;11203028]I'm the first to defend civil liberties and complain about silly laws. This by-law seems reasonable though - residential communities are not industrial parking lots.[/QUOTE]
It's a parking lot for a few days out of the year. The municipality is just pissed that they're not seeing a cut of the money from the parking. ***k them.LOG IN TO THANK No one has yet thanked freeloader1969 for this post.
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Jul 24th, 2010 12:23 PM #15
There's a bylaw stating that we can't park cars on our own lawn? :confused:
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