Description

Hi Jack,
I'm a long-time Toronto Star reader and while I haven't written to you asking for help, I regularly read "The Fixer" column, enjoy it and learn from it.
I'd like to offer some advice based on my own experience with a hidden fire hydrant.
I had a medical appointment and parked on Balmoral Ave. in the Yonge/St. Clair area. When I returned to my car, I saw that I had a parking ticket with a hefty fine for parking in front of a fire hydrant situated on the residential front yard. I had not seen the hydrant when I parked because it was not visible due to flowers and shrubs that had been planted and grew tall around it.
When I got home, I researched the city's by-laws and codes and discovered Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 851 - 12, Subsections C. (1) (2) (3) which states the following:

C. (1) Every owner shall ensure that all fire hydrants located on their property or on City
property adjacent to their property are clearly visible and unobstructed at all times in
accordance with the Ontario Fire Code Regulation 388/97.
(2) No person shall cause or place, and no owner or occupier shall permit, any
obstruction or encroachment, including snow, in front of or within 1.2 m of any side
of a fire hydrant.
(3) If an owner fails to provide the proper clearances on or around the fire hydrant within
24 hours of being notified to do so by the General Manager, the General Manager
may remove any and all obstructions or encroachments and the owner shall pay to the
City all costs associated with the removal of those obstructions or encroachments.

Reference: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_851.pdf

So you see, while the bylaw enforcement coordinator with parking enforcement said to you that they like to help people who end up with a ticket through no fault of their own "out of a sense of fairness and consistency" the bottomline is that there is a legal requirement to ensure that fire hydrants are not obstructed or encroached.
After my research, returning to the street to take pictures, filling out the necessary forms, going to city hall, and bringing everything to the attention of city staff, my ticket was eventually cancelled.
If I had not done my research, I would have likely been stuck with paying the hefty fine.
The next time that I parked on Balmoral for another appointment, I drove past the same property and noticed that the hydrant was completely unencumbered.
Perhaps you can let your readers know about this particular part of the Municipal Code. It might save them time and money when they find themselves in this type of unfortunate situation. It might also help city staff to understand and communicate the legalities pertaining to these matters.