Condo Group Wants to Kiss and Make Up : Behavior: A grandmother who was mistakenly warned about ‘doing bad things’ threatened a lawsuit.

A condominium association apologized Wednesday afternoon to a financial consultant who received a public notice that accused her of “kissing and doing bad things for over one hour” in a parked car.

Earlier in the day, Helen Garrett, with attorney Gloria Allred at her side, threatened publicly to sue the Townsquare Owners Assn. if it did not apologize for disgracing her character.

She also had asked Vanco Properties, which manages the Santa Ana complex, for unspecified compensation for emotional distress.

Neither Garrett nor Allred could be reached after the apology, which was sent to newspapers via fax.

Townsquare Owners attorney Brad Walker in Irvine said the violator was actually a teen-ager. Garrett, a financial consultant, is 51.

An investigation by the association revealed that a doorman saw the teen-ager and a 21-year-old man parked in the fire lane directly in front of the complex’s entrance. He asked the couple to leave but saw them again later.

The teen-ager gave her address, which was the same as Garrett’s, Walker said. He said the association does not know whether they are related.

“The Board of Directors sincerely regrets any embarrassment or inconvenience which may have resulted to Ms. Garrett as a result of this incident and has sent Ms. Garrett a personal, written apology,” the Townsquare Owners wrote in a facsimile message transmitted to the media.

The apology further said the citation did not suggest that Garrett was involved. She was notified because she owned the condominium.

“I feel that my rights as an American citizen have been violated,” Garrett has said. The association “courtesy notice” placed in her mailbox on May 22 read:

“Description of violation: Resident seen parking in circular driveway kissing and doing bad things for over one hour.”

Garrett, a grandmother, said people have started calling her “hot lips,” “marathon kisser” and “the kissing bandit.”

“I am now having to tolerate degrading remarks and questions from strangers who want to know the ‘bad things’ that it was said I did,” Garrett said. The woman said she kissed a male friend after a two-minute visit in the driveway of the Santa Ana complex.

Edward Van, owner of Vanco Properties, could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon, said his assistant, Christina Haggerty.

Allred said the notice, which was also posted on the condo complex bulletin board, constituted defamation.

Since the incident, the attorney added, Garrett “has lost sleep, lost weight and suffered emotional distress. Generally, pain and suffering.”

At first, Garrett believed the notice was a joke. But the woman said that when she checked with Vanco Properties, she was told she would be fined if it happened again.

Garrett said she was given the option of attending an arbitration hearing.

“I could go in and let a bunch of people decide whether I can kiss someone good night. It’s ridiculous,” Garrett said.