Farmers Market Parking - warning!

Last week my wife & I went to the Maplewood farmers market. We parked in the lot right behind the market & when returned we had a sticker on our window & a tire boot. Apparently the building owners, Maplewood Properties, LLC, have decided to enforce the no parking rules . We didn’t see the new big signs when we pulled (blocked by a farmer SUV). They only wanted $180 cash or Zelle to remove boot, which we had neither. After about 10-15 mins in the hot 90 deg sun, trying to have someone drop off cash, the guard finally took a credit card.

I can understand the owner restricting parking on his property, but I think I would have warned people with the stickers first for a few weeks, rather than hitting people with New York style prices. 

Maplewood is trying to encourage businesses & shopping on the Springfield Ave area. This is rather a deterrent. I have driven by the lot a few times during the past week & I didn’t see the security guard.

Today I drove by (farmers market) and their were about 5 police officers in the lot  and There were at least 6 people with $180 boots on their tires.

In my opinion this is a money grab by the owners. If they actually wanted to warn people, it would be marked more clearly.

I just wanted to warn people to avoid the lot & park in the town lot (where we usually park)

This money grab started two weeks ago & is apparently legal.

There is a municipal lot right across the street, and street parking available on Yale Street as well, though only on one side of the street. I did not find it any more difficult than getting a space in Maplewood Village on a busy afternoon.

BlueGrass said:

Last week my wife & I went to the Maplewood farmers market. We parked in the lot right behind the market & when returned we had a sticker on our window & a tire boot. Apparently the building owners, Maplewood Properties, LLC, have decided to enforce the no parking rules . We didn’t see the new big signs when we pulled (blocked by a farmer SUV). They only wanted $180 cash or Zelle to remove boot, which we had neither. After about 10-15 mins in the hot 90 deg sun, trying to have someone drop off cash, the guard finally took a credit card.

I can understand the owner restricting parking on his property, but I think I would have warned people with the stickers first for a few weeks, rather than hitting people with New York style prices. 

Maplewood is trying to encourage businesses & shopping on the Springfield Ave area. This is rather a deterrent. I have driven by the lot a few times during the past week & I didn’t see the security guard.

Today I drove by (farmers market) and their were about 5 police officers in the lot  and There were at least 6 people with $180 boots on their tires.

In my opinion this is a money grab by the owners. If they actually wanted to warn people, it would be marked more clearly.

I just wanted to warn people to avoid the lot & park in the town lot (where we usually park)

This money grab started two weeks ago & is apparently legal.

Thanks for the warning.

The boot is one thing. Damaging property with the stickers is another. I have a lot of time on my hands and I am an ornery old bastid. If I found such a sticker on my car window, I would have the window replaced and sue the property owner in small claims court for property damage.... rendering the window unusable.

I know it sucks, but that lot is private property. 
How would anyone feel if people were parking in their driveway illegally.

My guess is that the owners have been putting up with this for a long time.

At least there's nearby free parking for the Maplewood Farmers' Market.

When I go to South Orange, I have to prepare for the effort to persuade the ticket machine to take my payment so I can get a half hour of parking.

Innocentbystander said:

Thanks for the warning.

I wish I would of seen these postings sooner. I learned my lesson. Would of been nice of the people monitoring the lot to give you a warning. They wait in their unmarked car till you leave and then come out to boot you. Somebody is out to make some money at $180.

stickers do not actually damage the window, they are difficult to remove, but can be completely removed.  I just heard placing wet news paper over the what you can't scrap off might help.

but people can't be expected to be prepared to clean the window on the spot.  the sticker is a safety hazard.  people can't always ride with the window down.

any chance you got a picture of the signs being blocked by the truck?  Are those signs legally adequate.

While people should know parking can be restricted on private property, if said property has a history of allowing the lot to be used by others,, that is a precedent and any change to the policy needs to be handled ethically.  there are properties that have no issue with non customers using the lot.

i just looked at the area.  I find it hard to believe those signs meet legal requirements.  They are low, any large car would block them.  Plus the fact that they allowed a farmers market truck to park there tells me the lot can be used for the farmers market.  the property owner ALLOWED the truck to block the signs.  It can't be legal to block the towing signs and then enforce the parking.

The property owner has every right to restrict parking...but must do it legally.

right across from the market is municipal parking?  the way it's situated looks like a private lot

jmitw said:

right across from the market is municipal parking?  the way it's situated looks like a private lot

Yes, the lot on the other side of Yale Street is free municipal parking.

nohero said:

At least there's nearby free parking for the Maplewood Farmers' Market.

When I go to South Orange, I have to prepare for the effort to persuade the ticket machine to take my payment so I can get a half hour of parking.

Whenever I go to SO I use the parking app -- ParkMobile I think. Or I go on the weekend and park in the NJT lot.

Is the gripe that people arent being sufficiently warned not to park on private property? 

I have wondered about the parking lot in the village behind the bank building.  It was always understood that it was OK to park there when the bank was not open and parking restrictions were not enforced (except possibly overnight.)  Does anyone know the status of that lot now?  It's hard to judge based on posted signs since there have always been signs there.

sac said:

I have wondered about the parking lot in the village behind the bank building.  It was always understood that it was OK to park there when the bank was not open and parking restrictions were not enforced (except possibly overnight.)  Does anyone know the status of that lot now?  It's hard to judge based on posted signs since there have always been signs there.

Good question. I used to park there frequently when I was a bank customer.  Now that the bank is closed, I'm not sure of the status.

yahooyahoo said:

Good question. I used to park there frequently when I was a bank customer.  Now that the bank is closed, I'm not sure of the status.

I always park there when I go to trattoria. 

the18thletter said:

Is the gripe that people arent being sufficiently warned not to park on private property? 

the issue is you can legally park in a private lot with permission.  precedent seems to be that the owner allowed it...so yes, there should have been sufficient warning...and legally adequate.  those signs may not be legally adequate as they are easily blocked.

PVW said:

Whenever I go to SO I use the parking app -- ParkMobile I think. Or I go on the weekend and park in the NJT lot.

That's why I don't go to South Orange during the day. And I found the parking app to be difficult to use. Yeah, I'm a geriatric and maybe that's why the S.O. app is difficult.... So..... I just don't go there and I don't have to figure out how to use it.

There is nothing in S.O. that I need that can't be found in Maplewood. So I guess the S.O. Chamber of Commerce can do without me.

Since I first started using the ParkMobile app I keep finding places that take it. NYC is one. Much easier than finding one of their meter stations and printing the paper slip to put on my dashboard. 

mrincredible said:

Since I first started using the ParkMobile app I keep finding places that take it. NYC is one. Much easier than finding one of their meter stations and printing the paper slip to put on my dashboard. 

Agreed!  I've used it in Summit and in Cape May. 

I wonder what would happen if a resourceful person with the proper equipment were to stand on the sidewalk with a sign:  Boot Removal $25.00.  What would the cops do if the 'security' were to call them?

I'm kind of surprised that property owners have the right to boot your car and deface it with a sticker.

drummerboy said:

I'm kind of surprised that property owners have the right to boot your car and deface it with a sticker.

I think that if you are on private property that has proper signage, then they have the right.  The question here seems to be whether the signage is appropriate and, more than that, whether they should have had the courtesy to give people warnings for a period of time since it was a change from previous practive there.  (The latter not so much a legal requirement but just being a better local citizen.)

That parking lot has been having problems with people parking there for over 30 years! People used to get towed there if they parked overnight. I think it’s owner used to rent spots. 
You’re lucky they didn’t tow the car. 

Another question... is the guy putting on the boot and stickering the car, also standing there, watching suckers park and then pouncing?  If he is watching the trespass take place and not telling people, "you can't park here?... Well that would make a small claim case to recover the boot fee a bit more difficult for the lot owner to defend.

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Another question... is the guy putting on the boot and stickering the car, also standing there, watching suckers park and then pouncing?  If he is watching the trespass take place and not telling people, "you can't park here?... Well that would make a small claim case to recover the boot fee a bit more difficult for the lot owner to defend.

maybe they are tired and fed up with people parking there and not paying attention to the signs. I think there should bus bigger sign at the entrances to the lot. But I would be fed up also if people just keep feeling they’re entitled to park on my property because it’s close to where they want to go.  People used to do it behind the movie theater too until they started ticketing them. 
good luck with a small claim case…maybe they should just start towing the cars. 

Jaytee said:

maybe they are tired and fed up with people parking there and not paying attention to the signs. I think there should bus bigger sign at the entrances to the lot. But I would be fed up also if people just keep feeling they’re entitled to park on my property because it’s close to where they want to go.  People used to do it behind the movie theater too until they started ticketing them. 
good luck with a small claim case…maybe they should just start towing the cars. 

The sign is there, it is conspicuous and you park there anyway? I'm ok with the boot. 

IF Peter D. Parkinglotowner bought a couple of 'boots," places an ineffective sign - 
then allows the sign to be blocked and collects $180 to remove the boot --in other words, if he's using this as a money maker. That is not ok.

The difference between the movie house? The owner didn't get the money for the tickets.

jmitw said:

the issue is you can legally park in a private lot with permission.  precedent seems to be that the owner allowed it...so yes, there should have been sufficient warning...and legally adequate.  those signs may not be legally adequate as they are easily blocked.

If you have permission then the you aren't illegally parking on private property. If you don't have permission you are parked illegally. It seems really simple but perhaps I am missing something.

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Another question... is the guy putting on the boot and stickering the car, also standing there, watching suckers park and then pouncing?  If he is watching the trespass take place and not telling people, "you can't park here?... Well that would make a small claim case to recover the boot fee a bit more difficult for the lot owner to defend.

that is not his job to warn people.  his job is to watch them walk away and boot them.

Jaytee said:

Formerlyjerseyjack said:

Another question... is the guy putting on the boot and stickering the car, also standing there, watching suckers park and then pouncing?  If he is watching the trespass take place and not telling people, "you can't park here?... Well that would make a small claim case to recover the boot fee a bit more difficult for the lot owner to defend.

maybe they are tired and fed up with people parking there and not paying attention to the signs. I think there should bus bigger sign at the entrances to the lot. But I would be fed up also if people just keep feeling they’re entitled to park on my property because it’s close to where they want to go.  People used to do it behind the movie theater too until they started ticketing them. 
good luck with a small claim case…maybe they should just start towing the cars. 

but again the problem is that they ALLOWED it for a long time. sure they have a right to start enforcement, but since they essentially gave permission, they can't just suddenly snare people. the ethical thing is appropriate signage indicating the change (ie beginning June 1, customer parking only enforced and all unauthorized cars are subject to booting and towing).  The sign needs to be visible and they could have done 1 round of warning flyers the 1st week of the farmers market.