My husband is a local musician and was unloading his drums for a scheduled performance at Metropolitan. We stopped briefly outside Knighton Garage for less than five minutes. The car was running, and I remained with the vehicle the entire time. As soon as I saw the garage attendant approaching, I told him I was moving the car into the garage to park. Instead of responding or giving me the opportunity to comply, he immediately took photos, printed a $100 City parking citation, placed it on the windshield, and walked away.
A $100 ticket for someone actively unloading equipment is excessive, especially when a simple request to move the vehicle would have accomplished the same goal. We weren't trying to avoid paying for parking--we were literally about to park in the garage.
What makes this even more disappointing is learning that this is apparently a common experience. After speaking with other musicians and the venue, we were told that performers are frequently ticketed while unloading equipment and that even delivery drivers actively removing packages from their vehicles have received citations. That kind of enforcement doesn't support the local businesses that make downtown Annapolis unique.
We are local musicians supporting locally owned restaurants and venues--not chain businesses. These small businesses depend on musicians, entertainers, and deliveries. The garage itself is not designed in a way that makes unloading large equipment practical, so a brief curbside stop is often necessary.
I also think many people would be surprised to learn that someone who appears to be a garage attendant, rather than a clearly identifiable parking enforcement officer, can issue official City parking citations. Most people would expect a warning or the opportunity to move their vehicle when it's obvious they are actively unloading and not parking.
I understand that parking rules need to be enforced, but enforcement should include common sense and reasonable discretion. This experience felt far more focused on issuing tickets than helping keep traffic moving. It left a very negative impression of Knighton Garage and the way parking is handled in downtown Annapolis. I hope management and the City will reconsider how situations like this are handled so they support, rather than discourage, the musicians, delivery drivers, and local businesses that make Annapolis such a special place. read more