(a) Answer to Charge. A person who is personally or constructively served with a parking ticket charging the commission of a parking violation subject to the jurisdiction of the Parking Violations Bureau shall answer the charge in person or by mail to the Parking Violations Bureau. Such answer shall be made within thirty (30) days of the date of issuance of the ticket, and shall be in one of the following forms:
(1) An admission that the person committed the parking violation, by payment of the fine for said parking violation, as established by the City Parking Fee Schedule set forth in Section 353.12 of this Chapter, in accordance with subsection (b)(1) of this section;
(2) An admission that the person committed the parking violation, with a written request that the fine be waived or reduced, in accordance with subsection (b)(2) of this section.
(3) A denial that the person committed the parking violation and request for a hearing relative to the parking violation, in accordance with subsection (b)(3) of this section. If the person desires the presence, at the hearing, of the officer who issued the parking ticket, the person must request the officer's presence in his or her answer.
(b) Manner of Answering.
(1) If the person answers by admitting the parking violation and paying the fine, such payment shall be made by paying in person at the Parking Violations Bureau within the Marietta City Police Department or by sending payment through the mail to the Parking Violations Bureau within the Marietta City Police Department. The person shall note the number of the parking ticket on their method of payment, when paying by check or credit card, or the person shall send a copy of the ticket with his or her payment.
(2) If the person answers by admitting the parking violation but that admission includes a request that the fine be waived, the person shall submit a written explanation and evidence to the Parking Violations Bureau with his or her answer. The explanation and evidence shall explain the circumstances surrounding the parking violation. The answer, written explanation and evidence may be submitted to the Parking Violations Bureau in person or by mail. The person's request for waiver shall be processed in accordance with Section 353.06 of this Chapter.
(3) If the person answers by denying the parking violation and requesting a hearing relative to the parking violation, the written answer and request for hearing shall be submitted to the Parking Violations Bureau in person or by mail, and shall be processed in accordance with Section 353.07 of this Chapter.
(c) Timeliness of Answer. For an answer to be considered timely, it must be submitted in one of the manners provided in subsection (b) of this section on or before the date that is thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of the parking ticket. For answers that are mailed, the postmark must be a date that is on or before the date that is thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of the parking ticket.
(d) Failure to Answer. If a person who is personally or constructively served with a parking ticket charging the commission of a parking violation subject to the jurisdiction of the Parking Violations Bureau fails to timely answer the charge, as provided in division (a) of this section, the Parking Violations Bureau shall issue the proper notifications of infraction pursuant to Section 353.05 of this Chapter and proceed according to that Section.
(e) Additional Penalty. Failure to timely answer to a charge may result in the imposition of additional penalties, as set forth in the fee schedule found in Section 353.12 of this Chapter.
(f) Records. The issuance of a parking ticket, the filing of or failure to file an answer by a person personally or constructively served with the ticket, the substance of the answer, the payment of any fine, and all other relevant information shall be entered into the records of the Parking Violations Bureau.
Statutory Reference: ORC 4521.06
(Ord. 230(20-21). Passed 6-3-21.)