West Haven Beach Parking Stickers Going Out With Tax Bills

Written by MICHAEL P. WALSH

WEST HAVEN, CT — West Haven residents who are current on their motor vehicle taxes will receive the city’s 2016-18 beach parking permits in the mail with their tax bills in early June.

Delinquent taxpayers are not eligible to receive the new beach stickers, which expire June 30, 2018, until their motor vehicle taxes are paid, city officials said.

The current stickers are good through July 1, 2016.

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Taxpayers can check if they owe back taxes and pay online by going to www.cityofwesthaven.com and clicking on Tax Collector Department Info in the Quick Links section on the right side. They can also pay in person in the tax office on the first floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.

Beach stickers are a free benefit for residents whose vehicles are registered in West Haven. Commercial vehicles are excluded.

For the first time in recent memory, the city will mail the new stickers with the tax bills to reduce the cost of postage.

Each two-year sticker will have the vehicle’s license plate number printed on it “to reduce the opportunity for stickers to be utilized improperly, as well as to enhance enforcement by easily matching the beach sticker to the vehicle to which it is affixed.”

Officials said taxpayers will receive a maximum of two stickers only in the mailing. Those who pay taxes on more than two vehicles must pick up the rest of their stickers weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the tax office.

Those who have new or leased vehicles or are military-exempt must also pick up their stickers in the tax office. A “new” vehicle means that it was registered in the city after Oct. 1, 2015.

Replacement beach stickers for residents cost $10 — no exceptions, officials said.

The tax office is now administering West Haven’s beach sticker program. Residents and nonresidents, however, should make all beach sticker inquiries to the Department of Human Resources, which is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the second floor of City Hall.

The city’s boat ramp permit program is overseen by the Department of Parks and Recreation, which is also open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free boat ramp stickers are available for residents at the department’s Painter Park office, 190 Kelsey Ave.

Replacement boat ramp stickers for residents also cost $10 — no exceptions.

Free beach parking is available for residents displaying beach stickers in the following municipal lots: South Street, Dawson Avenue, Sea Bluff, Bradley Point, Rock Street, Oak Street, Altschuler Plaza, Morse Park, Sandy Point and the April Street boat ramp.

For nonresidents, a season parking pass costs $75 and is available for purchase in the Department of Human Resources. A season boat ramp permit costs $100 and is available for purchase at Park-Rec.

Otherwise, the daily parking fee for nonresidents is $10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and $5 after 5 p.m. The nonresident lots are Sea Bluff, Bradley Point, Morse Park, Sandy Point and the April Street boat ramp.

Residents and nonresidents should note that a beach sticker is only valid if affixed to the inside lower left corner of the vehicle’s windshield.

Also, for residents and nonresidents, Palace Street is now a pay-for-parking site “to leverage the two parking kiosks that are installed in that area.”

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