SEA ISLE CITY — The owner of a local pizza parlor is suing the city because he believes police are unfairly ticketing his delivery drivers who park in an alleyway they have used for 20 years.
Angelo Camano says he has a signed agreement from 1992 that shows he can access and park cars in an alley next to his restaurant, Angelo’s Pizza, on the corner of Landis Avenue and JFK Boulevard.
However, he said his employees have received several tickets this summer for doing so, which he said has never happened before.
“The fact of the matter is, these cars aren’t bothering anybody,” said Camano, who opened the business in 1985.
He said his drivers have no other nearby parking in the summer months. Camano employs as many as five drivers on a Saturday in the summer, and he said a large portion of his income derives from delivery service.
The alleyway’s main use is for trucks to back up and unload supplies. It is not a through street, but simply a driveway to access the side of the building.
Camano said the city cooperated with him in 1992 and agreed to allow him to continue accessing the alley when the intersection there was redesigned. It is not clear whether that agreement extends to the business’ use of that area for parking.
The city again repaved and rearranged the intersection earlier this year, changing the parking and sidewalk arrangement, which Camano said has led to this issue getting renewed scrutiny after so many years.
During Tuesday’s regular Sea Isle City Council meeting, he called the issue “selective enforcement” and publicly accused the owner of the nearby Braca Cafe, Kim Gibson, of complaining about the issue and pressuring officials to address the situation.
“This is an attack on my livelihood and my business,” Camano said.
Gibson declined to comment when contacted Tuesday afternoon, saying he did not want to get involved in the issue.
The lawsuit seeks to restrain the government from ticketing Angelo’s employees and compensation for the cost of the suit and other damages as the court sees fit.
After Tuesday’s meeting, City Administrator George Savastano said Camano was simply in violation of basic traffic codes stipulating how close vehicles can park to an intersection.
City Clerk Cindy Griffith said she had not been served with the suit as of Tuesday afternoon. Camano said it was sent to Cape May County Superior Court on Thursday, and he provided a copy of it for The Press of Atlantic City to view.
Contact Lee Procida:
609-463-6712
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