The beads, bands and the floats..the first weekend of Mardi Gras 2011 is a hit.
Parade parking in New Orleans is at an all time premium.
"When you're somewhere like this, the streets fill up for the parades, for Bacchus it's going to be crazy. People aren't going to find a spot," says parade goer, Matt Wolfe.
Some residents who live near the parade route claim they're even forced to block off spots while they're gone.
One resident who declined to give her name replies, "Why should I not be able to park in front of my own house during Mardi Gras."
But it's illegal to barricade off the spot in front your home.
Another illegal practice police are seeing this Mardi Gras is charging revelers to park at private lots "without" a permit.
Carlos Dartez says he's charging ten dollars for parade goers to park at a private lot, to rebuild his church.
"They'll park on the lot, not on the corners and I'll stay and protect their vehicles until after the parade," says Dartez.
When asked if he has a permit, he replied, "yes I do, but I don't have it at this time."
When asked if he knew that he had to have it, Dartez replied, "no, I didn't know."
"If they are parking vehicles on private property, they have to secure two types of permits from the City of New Orleans. One is for a sales tax permit and also an occupational permit to operate If you are a non profit organization you must still have a permit, but the fees are waived," says New Orleans Police Deputy Chief, Marlon Defillo.
One resident who declined to give his name says he has charged parade goers to park, in the past.
He responds, "The only time they get to make a quarter off these lots is when they have parades. They have to pay these high taxes on these properties and you mean to tell me they can't park cars on their own private property.
Defillo goes on to says that without a permit for your private property, the fine can range from 250-dollars to 500 dollars, and you will be arrested.
"We do have a team of police officers who have paired up with the department of finance and their sole job is to go out into the community on the parade route in the immediate area of the parade who are operating businesses illegally. And certainly this will qualify as a business operating without a permit," adds Defillo.
New Orleans Police will be enforcing the following:
· Valid Residential Parking Permits ($40 fine)
· Blocking hydrants,
· Parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection, or stop sign.
· Parking in the wrong direction (vehicles must park in the direction of travel on one way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two way streets),
· Vehicles blocking sidewalks
· Vehicles blocking driveways
· Parking in Handicap zone ($500 fine)
