PETITION IS NOW CLOSED: As of 2/1/2019, none of the three petitioned agencies, nor the Mayor's office chose to discuss the petition for formal action or contact the petitioners to discuss alternatives, and, consequently, paid parking went into effect at Liberty Square.

Our THANKS to everyone who worked hard to get out the message, knocked on doors and worked to try to convince the City of Norwalk and the Norwalk Parking Authority that there was a better option for this area.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” --- Margaret Mead

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This citizen's petition was printed and delivered, along with signatures collected off-line (totalling 312), to the appropriate people at City Hall on December 18, 2018.

We have received requests to keep the online petition open for more signatures, and will do so, up until the parking plan goes into effect in Feb 2019, or until the City takes action in response to the petition, whichever comes first.

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This petition is submitted to:

• Norwalk Parking Authority,
• Board of Estimate and Taxation, and
• Common Council of the City of Norwalk;

those entities being jointly responsible for setting and approving parking fees and other forms of revenue collected by the Parking Authority via the budget approval process.

Norwalk’s Ordinance § 73A-2 recognizes that the definition of "City parking facilities" includes those that are open to the public “without charge”. The Norwalk Parking Authority has held multiple public information sessions without revealing how much it intends to charge for parking at Liberty Square, whether through pay stations or permits.

Unlike other public lots or on-street metered parking elsewhere in Norwalk, the common parking areas at Liberty Square are overwhelmingly used by the residents and patrons of Liberty Square homes and businesses, and of Constitution Park.

It is possible to regulate parking without imposing undue hardship on the residents and patrons of Liberty Square homes and businesses, and of Constitution Park, by charging them to park there. It is possible for the Norwalk Parking Authority to fund the costs of maintaining the parking areas, and regulating the parking within, solely by imposing fines and penalties on those who fail to follow those regulations.

The residents and patrons of Liberty Square homes and businesses, and of Constitution Park, should not be forced to participate in retiring debt from other parking facilities that are intended for more general use.

The rate-payers of the Third Taxing District, who maintain and own Constitution Park, should not be required to pay additional fees to patronize their park.

Therefore, we, the undersigned residents, business-owners and patrons of Liberty Square homes and businesses, and of Constitution Park, being tax-payers and/or electors of the City of Norwalk, present this petition demanding that the Norwalk Parking Authority maintain the common parking areas at Liberty Square and regulate the parking there WITHOUT charging for parking through meters, pay stations, permits or other revenue-collection schemes.