Beach Parking Enforcement To Begin In Norwalk This Weekend

Information via the city of Norwalk

NORWALK, CT — Parking enforcement at the beach and other parks in Norwalk will begin Saturday, according to city officials.

According to a news release, residents who have vehicles registered in Norwalk do not need to purchase a parking pass. Other residents who have vehicles registered outside of Norwalk must purchase a seasonal parking pass or pay the daily parking rate.

Residents are encouraged to verify their license plate information is correct at norwalkct.org. Parking enforcement is in effect May 15-Oct. 15.

"I ask residents to take a few minutes to go online and ensure their license plate information is correct before heading out to the beach," Mayor Harry Rilling said in a news release. "We continue to use technology to improve the experience at our parks and beaches. We expect it to be a busy spring and summer as we get back closer to normal, and it's critically important residents aren't caught by surprise with a parking ticket. If a vehicle is not active in the system, staff is here to help residents through the process. Please reach out to us if you have any questions."

City officials emphasized residents should check online to ensure their information is correct and not assume it is up to date. The city receives information from the state Department of Motor Vehicles once per year in October, so if a resident recently purchased a new car, registered a vehicle in Norwalk or changed addresses, a vehicle may not show as active.

Accommodations can be made for company vehicles or longterm rentals for Norwalk residents.

Any residents who need assistance with a parking pass are asked to call 203-854-7806 or email recreation@norwalkct.org. While most issues can be resolved remotely, residents can also visit the walk up window at City Hall between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays for in-person assistance.

In 2019, the city moved from accepting cash payments for parking at the beach to having guests pay for parking by the mobile app called Park Mobile or at various kiosk pay stations. Vehicles patrol the parking lots and use license plate readers (LPR) to check if a plate if valid or invalid.

The scanner only shows that information, and no other personal data is available to the staff member. Plates that are invalid are given a parking ticket.

In 2022, the city will be repaving and reconfiguring the main parking lot at Calf Pasture Beach to create a dedicated non-resident parking area which will be restricted to 10 percent of the overall available parking, which will be delineated with different color parking lines.

In advance of this change, the city will pilot the new configuration this summer using concrete barriers and construction barrels. Residents will continue to have priority parking and exclusive spots at Shady Beach and all along the waterfront.

If the non-resident parking area is full, it will be closed until 4 p.m. regardless of what time it reached capacity. Police will be monitoring and enforcing capacity.

For more information or to check a vehicle's status, visit norwalkct.org/passes.