DCist fanboy-in-chief Charles Gray tells us that Ryan Zimmerman found the zone for the Nats’ stadium opener, swatting a tie-breaking walk-off home run for the win in the ninth. Woo! But Nationals fans — as well as residents and other visitors to the new stadium area — were less thrilled to find themselves in the Nats’ new parking zone.

According to WJLA, 103 cars were towed over the weekend from the area around Nationals Stadium. The news report quotes residents and visitors who parked in the neighborhood under the assumption that the old parking rules still applied. Under the new dispensation, residents and guests need to display a special permit sticker or else feed the meter. City officials admitted to WJLA that some number of cars were improperly ticketed.

In February, Mayor Fenty was quoted in a D.C. government press release saying, “Metro is going to be — by far — the best way to get to the game. . . . But some fans will choose to drive, so we’ve worked closely with neighborhood leaders, the Washington Nationals and members of the DC Council to devise a fair and predictable parking plan that ensures fans have a great experience at the ballpark while at the same time avoiding traffic and parking issues for nearby residents.”

Capitol Hill Voice cottoned on to the new regulations before the game, reporting complaints from nearby Ebenezer United Methodist Church that the new regulations would burden congregants.

Seems to this ‘ist that the “enhanced Residential Parking Program (RPP) zone,” designed to “protect the adjoining neighborhoods from being inundated with fans looking for street parking on game days” might have caused more problems than it prevented this weekend. President Bush, at least, may take comfort, as his opening pitch wasn’t the only part of opening-day weekend that was booed. Anyone out there find a ticket or worse on his car after the game?

Photo by Whime