(a) A person, who is personally or constructively served with a parking ticket charging the commission of a parking infraction, may answer the charge by appearing personally before the Parking Violations Bureau or by mail. An answer shall be made within ten (10) days from the date of the infraction and shall be in one of the following forms:
(1) An admission that the person committed the parking infraction, by payment of any fine arising out of the parking infraction;
(2) An admission that the person committed the parking infraction, with an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the parking infraction;
(3) A denial that the person committed the parking infraction and a request for a hearing relative to the infraction. If the person desires the presence at the hearing of the law enforcement officer, who issued the parking ticket, the person must request his presence in his answer.
(b) (1) A person, who admits that he committed a parking infraction, shall, and a person who admits that he committed a parking infraction with explanation, may, when he makes his answer, pay the fine arising out of the infraction admitted to the Violations Clerk of the Parking Violations Bureau.
(2) A person, who admits that he committed a parking infraction with explanation, shall submit evidence to the Parking Violations Bureau that explains the circumstances surrounding the parking infraction. The evidence may be submitted in person or, to avoid the necessity of personal appearance, may be sent as affidavits and other documentary evidence, by mail. The Parking Violations Bureau, when it receives an answer admitting that a person committed a parking infraction with explanation, shall promptly determine whether the explanation mitigates the fact that the person committed the parking infraction and notify the person, in writing, of its determination.
If the Parking Violations Bureau determines that the explanation mitigates the fact that the person committed the parking infraction, the Parking Violations Bureau shall reduce or eliminate the amount of the fine arising out of the parking infraction. If the fine is reduced or eliminated and the person has previously paid the fine, the amount paid in excess of the revised fine shall be returned to the person; if the fine is reduced or eliminated and the person has not previously paid the fine, the person shall pay only the amount of the revised fine. If the Parking Violations Bureau determines that the explanation does not mitigate the fact that the person committed the parking infraction, the person owes the entire amount of the fine arising out of the parking infraction, and if the person has not previously paid the fine, the person shall pay the entire amount of the fine. If a person admits that he committed a parking infraction with explanation and the person fails to pay the amount of the fine due within fourteen (14) days after the Parking Violations Bureau's determination is mailed to the person by first class mail with a certificate of mailing, unless the amount due has previously been paid, the Parking Violations Bureau's determination and the amount of the fine due shall be considered a judgment and shall be treated as if it were a judgment rendered subsequent to a hearing held pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 355.07 hereof.
(3) A person, who denies that he committed a parking infraction, shall be granted a hearing concerning the infraction. The Parking Violations Bureau shall set a date for the hearing and notify the person, in writing, of the date, time, and place of the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by a hearing examiner of the Parking Violations Bureau in accordance with Section 355.07 hereof.
(c) If a person, who is personally or constructively served with a parking ticket charging the commission of a parking infraction, fails to timely answer the charge, as provided in subsection (a) hereof, the Parking Violations Bureau shall issue the proper notifications of infraction pursuant to Section 355.06 hereof, and proceed according to that Section. Failure to answer the charge within the ten (10) day period provided by subsection (a) hereof, shall result in the imposition of an additional penalty often dollars ($10.00).
(d) 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 an answer, the payment of any fine, penalty, fee, and cost, and any other relevant information shall be entered in the records of the Parking Violations Bureau.
(Ord. 161-12. Passed 4-21-14.)