Parking Ban changed!

Well, amazingly, Montpelier has changed the winter parking ban, as of November 2014, about 7 years after I created this blog.

Similar to the other cities referenced in this blog, Montpelier will now "declare" a snow emergency when parking is prohibited on the streets.  Some streets have also been selected for no-parking throughout the winter.

Here is a copy of the 2-page notice that the City provided to residents:

I wonder what role this blog may have played in this ordinance change.  I may never know.  It's been sitting here quietly for 7 years.  In 2012 a newspaper reporter contacted me about a newspaper article she was writing about the parking ban.  This blog has received occasional hits including 28 last month, perhaps from some of the City Council members who voted recently to change the ordinance.

However it happened, I am glad Montpelier is going to try something new.

Summary & Draft Ordinance for Montpelier

QUICK SUMMARY of OTHER CITIES
Quite a few other cities in the snowbelt have a process for declaring emergency snow parking bans. Some have a "declaration" process involving local officials (city manager, DPW, etc.) and some have an "automatic" snow ban when there's 1/2 inch to 2" of snow on the streets. All have a simple system for alerting residents when the parking ban is in effect, using the local broadcast media, a dial-in hotline, and an email and/or pager alert systems. Some cities also have special flashing lights (similar to school zone lights) or a changeable message board that announces the snow ban. However, this expensive level of infrastructure seems less needed in today's communication age than in years past. Details of various other ordinances are below.

Montpelier's Current Ordinance

Sec. 10-713. NIGHT PARKING DURING WINTER.

Parking of motor vehicles, teams, carts, or any other conveyance on the streets of the city of Montpelier between the hours of 1:00 A.M. and 7:00 A.M. is hereby prohibited between November 15 and April 1 of each and every year. The City Manager may, by executive order, prohibit night parking at any other times of the year if emergency road conditions exist as a result of ice or snow conditions. Attention to this Section will be brought to residences each year by issuing news releases to the local news media by the City Manager’s Office, said news releases to commence the last week in October of each year.

Possible new ordinance?

Sec. 10-713. EMERGENCY PARKING BAN FOR WINTER SNOW REMOVAL OR OTHER CAUSES.

The city manager, or his or her designee, may declare an emergency parking ban. The declaration of an emergency parking ban may be made applicable to all city streets or only to certain streets or streets within a defined perimeter. Such a declaration shall be for the purpose of plowing or removing snow or ice, or for other good cause as stated in the declaration of the parking ban. A snow parking ban will ordinarily be declared the night before 2 or more inches of snow is forecast, the night after 2 inches of snow has fallen, or other times as determined by the city manager. Parking on the city streets shall be prohibited from 1:00 AM until 7:00 AM or other hours as designated in the declaration of the ban. The declaration shall be made no less than six (6) hours prior to the starting time of the ban. The city manager or his or her designee shall inform the general public of the ban by issuing an alert for immediate release to the news and other media including the reasons for the ban, the area affected by the ban, and the period during which the parking ban is in effect.

How to notify residents?
Most other cities do not write the details of the notification system into their ordinance, beyond an alert via the news media. However, in practice all of them use a telephone hotline and an email alert system. Street signage ranges from elaborate systems with flashing lights to "snow route" placards.

• Broadcast news media.
• Telephone hotline: This could be an announcement-only voicemail. It does not need to be a full telephone line. (Is there a way this can be dovetailed with flood alert systems?)
• Email listserve: The city could easily establish a free email listserve -- similar to the one developed for flood alerts.
• City website: Depending on staffing, this may be too complicated. An email and telephone system is probably better.
• Signs: Change the signs on the way into the city to refer to snow parking bans, and provide the hotline number on the sign.
• Flashing lights, other alerts: None. Too complicated, expensive, and potentially an eyesore. If Montpelier already had an icon sign visible in much of the city, like Portland's Time & Temperature sign, it would make sense to use it. But we don't, so let's leave this idea aside.

Ordinance considerations:

• What does the City consider to be a "plowable" snowstorm, and will a 2" rule fit with that? (if not, adjust the amount)
• How do the hours fit with the normal plow driver's schedules? The hours in the draft ordinance above were simply taken from the current ordinance, but different hours may be preferred.
  
• What will the fine be for violating the parking ban? Does that need to be written into the ordinance (it is not in the old one, so there must be a default fine.)
• I have heard that it is illegal to park bicycles on the sidewalks at night in the winter; is this the ordinance that causes this? Does the new ordinance need to address bicycles? Could bicycle parking be restricted only in the event of a snow emergency?
• The old ordinance referred to "teams, carts, or other conveyance" - is that needed?

Implementation considerations:

• How much money will the city need to spend to change signage on the way into the city? The current signs say:

PARKING BAN
On street parking prohibited
Nov. 15 - April 1
1:00 am - 7:00 am
Violators may be towed

Could these be edited with a sticker to give the hotline number?

• Could the city publish a simple brochure, conduct outreach via news media, and ask local organizations to put a short notice in newsletters (MDCA, churches, schools)?
• Alternative parking: Would parking garages and/or surface lots be available for free overnight parking when there is a snowstorm?
  
• Providing an outlet for overflow parking may or may not be desirable. To do so may encourage more cars in the city. Currently, everyone has a place to put their cars, all winter. It may be a pain in the butt to do so, but the place exists. Removing the need for off-street parking entirely may promote more cars.
• If parking garages will be make available, then the timing of a typical ban should be considered in terms of using these garages. This ordinance draft suggests an overnight ban (1 am-7 am) which is what the current ban is. The parking lots should available as soon as the parking ban is declared, around 5-6 pm. The ban could be lifted at 7 am, with cars required out of the overflow parking by 7:30 am or 8 am. This timing would generally allow business use of the parking, especially on a snowy day when some people may be arriving into town a bit later. It would be better to use parking garages than lots, as it would not be possible to plow parking lots while they were filled with cars from the snow ban parkers.
• Most cities that make alternative parking available do not have it written into the ordinance.
  

Please see the posts below for full details on how other cities handle a snow parking ban.

Burlington, VT - Complex zone system, flashing lights

Summary

Burlington allows on-street parking except when a snowstorm is forecast or actually arrived. The City may call a parking ban based on a forecast. Residents are alerted by a system of signs with flashing lights throughout the city, by an email listserve, by calling a Winter Parking Ban hotline, and through local media outlets (radio, TV).

Public outreach

Here is the information provided by the Burlington Police Department on their website. The city also distributes a brochure.

Winter Parking - from http://www.bpdvt.org/Parking.html

Burlington maintains a warning system of yellow lights mounted on utility poles throughout the city. These lights are activated when a snow parking ban is declared. When the lights are on, parking is prohibited on any street in the residential areas from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and in the downtown/Church Street Marketplace areas from 12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m. This prohibition allows snow removal crews to effectively clear city streets of snow and restore them to operating efficiently. Vehicles found on the street will be towed to the nearest street the Public Works Department designates as a drop-off point. This would be a street that has been cleared of snow. Vehicles found with more than $49.00 in outstanding fines or previous winter tow tickets will be towed to a designated garage until payment is made.

Want to know about a parking ban via your e-mail? Subscribe to the Burlington Parking Ban Notification List Server Powered by Yahoo Groups.

Subscribe here: burlingtonparkingban-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Winter Street Parking Ban Info, 658-7669. (recorded message)

Municipal Code

Sec. 20-56. Parking ban.

(a) General prohibition. It shall be unlawful for any person to park a vehicle within any designated city right-of-way, including the sidewalk, anytime of the year during a declared parking ban.

(b) Required method of notification for declaration of a parking ban. It is the responsibility of the public works department to provide advance notice prior to commencing a parking ban. Minimum notification will require:

(1) Placing the affected area's parking prohibition lights into a flashing operation, beginning six (6) hours prior to any parking ban, notice scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.

(2) Upon declaring a parking ban, send press releases to various means of media (local television, radio and printed media).

(c) Authority to declare parking ban. Those listed below may have the authority to declare a parking ban, given that there is a demonstrated need for street maintenance:

(1) The public works director or his designee has full authority in declaring a parking ban.

(2) The mayor may declare a parking ban after consultation with the public works director.

(3) The chief of police may declare a parking ban after consultation with the public works director.

(d) Enforcement policy for violation of parking ban. A vehicle found in violation of the parking ban shall face the following consequences:

(1) A police officer or parking enforcement officer shall ticket and remove the vehicle in violation to another street within the city or, when warranted, it may be impounded and transported to a remote sight within a five-mile radius from the boundaries of the city.

(2) All towing procedures and policies can be referenced from the provisions set forth in division 2 of this article.

(3) The fines for the aforementioned offense can be found in section 20-66.

(e) Duration of parking ban. When the parking ban lights are in a flashing operation the parking ban will be in effect from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. in all zones with the exception of Zone F (Downtown Zone) which will be 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.

(f) Delineation of parking ban zones:

Zone A shall include all streets to the east of North Avenue, including North Avenue, beginning south of Institute Road moving north to the northern boundary of the city.

Zone B shall include all streets to the west of North Avenue, including North Avenue, beginning south of Institute Road moving north to the northern boundary of the city.

Zone C shall include all streets bounded by the following streets:

The northernmost boundary shall be defined by Kilburn Street and Adams Street but not including Kilburn Street and Adams Streets.

The easternmost boundary shall be defined by and include South Winooski Avenue from Adams Street to St. Paul Street, as well as Shelburne Street.

The southernmost boundary shall be defined by the southernmost boundary of the city.

The westernmost boundary shall be defined by Lake Champlain.

Zone D shall include all streets bounded by the following streets:

The easternmost boundary shall be defined by and include South Prospect and all of its adjoining streets.

The southernmost boundary shall be defined by the southernmost boundary of the city.

The westernmost boundary defined by South Willard Street from Main Street to Maple Street not including this section, South Winooski Avenue from Maple Street to Adams Street not including this section, South Winooski Avenue from Adams Street to St. Paul Street including this section, St. Paul Street from South Winooski Avenue to South Union Street including this section, Shelburne Street from South Union Street south to the city's southern border including this section.

The northernmost boundary defined by Main Street from South Willard Street to Prospect Street including this section, Maple Street from South Winooski Avenue to South Willard Street including this section.

Zone E shall include all streets bounded by the following streets:

The easternmost boundary shall be defined by the easternmost boundary of the city.

The southernmost boundary shall be defined by Main Street from the city boundary east to South Willard Street including that section of Main Street and University Heights.

The westernmost boundary shall be defined by Hyde Street from Riverside Avenue to North Willard Street including this section, all of North Willard Street including North Willard Street, South Willard Street from Pearl Street to Main Street not including this section of South Willard Street.

The northernmost boundary shall be defined by the northernmost boundary of the city.

Zone F shall include all streets bounded by the following streets:

The easternmost boundary shall be defined and include South Willard Street from Pearl Street to Maple Street.

The southernmost boundary shall be defined by and include Maple Street from South Willard Street to South Winooski Avenue, South Winooski Avenue from Maple Street to Adams Street, Adams Street from South Winooski Avenue to St. Paul Street, St. Paul Street from Adams Street to Kilburn Street, and Kilburn Street.

The westernmost boundary shall be defined by Lake Champlain.

The northernmost boundary shall be defined by and include Sherman Street; North Champlain Street from Sherman Street to Peru Street; Peru Street; Elmwood Avenue from Peru Street to Grant Street; Grant Street; North Union Street from Grant Street to Pearl Street; and Pearl Street from South Union Street to South Willard Street.

Zone G shall include all street bounded by the following streets:

The easternmost boundary shall be defined by and include Hyde Street from Riverside Avenue to North Willard Street and North Willard Street from Hyde Street to Pearl Street.

The southernmost boundary shall be defined by but not include the following streets: Pearl Street from South Willard Street to South Union Street; North Union Street from Pearl Street to Grant Street; Grant Street; Elmwood Avenue from Peru Street to Grant Street; Peru Street; North Champlain Street from Peru Street to Sherman Street; and Sherman Street.

The westernmost boundary shall be defined by the lake.

The northernmost boundary shall in the old north end be defined by and include Manhattan Drive and on North Avenue all streets south of the intersection of Institute Road and North Avenue.

(Rev. Ords. 1962, §§ 5316, 5317; 1969 Cum. Supp. § 5316; Reg. of 5-3-82; Ord. of 10-7-85; Ord. of 9-22-86; Ord. of 12-22-86; Ord. of 11-13-89; Reg. of 4-17-92; Ord. of 12-30-92; Reg. of 10-8-93; Reg. of 6-28-95)

Cross references: Designation of spaces where winter parking restricted, App. C, § 15.

Portland, Maine - All-city ban, some flashing signs

Summary

Overnight parking is prohibited on all city streets when there is a snowstorm. Residents may park in driveways or in designated public lots (such as in parks or parking garages). See details of alert system below.

Public Outreach - description

Snow Bans - from the city's Parking Division - http://www.portlandmaine.gov/parking/regulations.asp#snow

During winter months, the City of Portland implements City wide parking bans for snow plowing and or snow removal. Also when necessary, a limited parking ban in the YELLOW ZONE of the Portland Downtown District may go into effect for snow hauling.

Usually the bans go into effect at 10:00 PM and continue in effect until 6:00 AM the following morning. However, under extreme conditions, the hours may be changed or extended.

All vehicles left on the street during a snow parking ban will be towed at the owner’s expense. Only cash, VISA or MasterCard accepted. Sorry, No checks will be accepted. The snow impoundment lot can be reached at (207)774-3025.

• Tow Fee $65.00
• Impound Fee $25.00
• Ticket Fee $30.00

All unpaid tickets must be paid.

For more information view our online section on snow ban towing and fees.

To find out if a Snow Ban is in effect you can:

The City offers several convenient ways to make it easy for you to find out if a City snow ban is in effect.

1. Call the winter parking ban telephone number at (207)879-0300
2. Listen to radio & television broadcasts
3. Visit www.portlandmaine.gov and view the City News section;
4. Look at the "Time and Temperature Sign" which will flash "Park Ban"
5. View several illuminated "Parking Ban In Effect" signs located at several intersections leading into the City
6. You may also sign up for automatic E-mail or pager notification.

Where to Park During A Snow Ban

The City offers numerous free options for parking on the peninsula during a snow ban. All vehicle owners must remove their vehicles from these designated areas listed below by 7:00 AM the morning the ban is removed. The City may tow, at the owner's expense, any vehicle which has not been removed by the 7:00 am deadline.

1. Deering Oaks - on the Tennis Court Road only.
2. State Street gravel lot abutting Deering Oaks.
3. Fitzpatrick Stadium parking lot.
4. Hadlock Field parking lot.
5. All Portland Public School parking lots EXCEPT the Reiche School lot which abuts the school and playground.
6. Cutter Street lots (off the Eastern Prom)
7. Beach Street lot accessible from Commercial Street.
8. Either at the International Marine Terminal on Commercial St. (under Casco Bay Bridge), OR in the lot across the street TBD.
9. Most Parking Garages will be open for extended hours during snow bans at reduced rates.

Yellow Zones (Downtown)

During winter months, the City of Portland implements City wide parking bans for snow removal when necessary in the YELLOW ZONE of the Portland Downtown District.

In the Downtown area (Yellow Zone) snow removal is usually done on night(s) following snow storms, and an additional limited parking ban is usually implemented in this area on those nights. The downtown area (yellow zone) is bounded by Cumberland Avenue, Franklin Arteral, Commercial Street and State Street. Look for the Yellow Zone Signs in the area, the Flashing Signs, and Tripods. Also check the News Media or call the hotline 879-0300 to see if an additional limited ban is in effect.

The city also distributes a "Winter Operations Guide" pamphlet that includes much of this information.

Portland City Ordinance

Sec. 28-97. Declaration of emergency parking ban.

The city manager, or his or her designee, may declare an
emergency parking ban. The declaration of an emergency parking ban
may be made applicable to all city streets or only to certain
streets or streets within a defined perimeter. Such a declaration
of emergency shall be for the purpose of plowing or removing snow
or ice which has accumulated, or for other good cause stated in the
declaration of the parking ban. Any such declaration shall be
reduced to writing as soon as practicable thereafter, stating the
reasons therefor. The declaration shall be made no less than six
(6) hours prior to the starting time of the ban. Such declaration
shall be communicated to such representatives of the communications
media as the city manager may direct. Notwithstanding the
declaration of a ban on parking for the plowing or removal of snow
or ice accumulations, such a declaration shall not be applicable to
any location free of all snow and ice from one (1) curb to the
opposite curb for an entire block.
(Ord. No. 183-97, 1-22-97)

Sec. 28-98. Violation of emergency parking ban.

It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to be or remain parked on
any street, including any unaccepted street, subject to a
declaration of emergency no parking under section 28-97 during the
effective time of such declared emergency.

Cambridge, MA - Simple ordinance, good system.

Summary

As with Portland and Burlington, the city declares an emergency when a snowstorm is forecast or when it is actually snowing. The Cambridge city regulation requires notification only by news and other media -- the city does not have flashing lights or other visible notification system. The city does maintain a telephone hotline and email network; these seem fairly standard in most cities in practice but are not specified in the ordinance.

Public Outreach

The city has a very good explanation on their website, so I'll just let you click on this link: http://www.cambridgema.gov/Traffic/Snow.cfm

Ordinance

TRAFFIC, PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION REGULATIONS

ARTICLE XVI Sec. 16.5 STANDING OR PARKING DURING SNOW EMERGENCY

(a) If it is the judgment of the Traffic Director that threatening weather conditions may impair the free flow of vehicular traffic or that parked vehicles may impede the clearance of snow, then the Traffic Director may declare a state of emergency under the powers vested in him/her by statutory law.

(b) Whenever such an emergency is declared by the Traffic Director and he/she shall have caused announcement thereof by the use of available news and other media, then no driver shall stand or park any vehicle within the limits of any designated and posted street as described in Schedule 8 or Schedule L incorporated herein and made part hereof available at the Traffic Department .

(c) This regulation shall not apply to commercial vehicles stopped temporarily during the actual loading or unloading of materials.

Mount Kisco, NY (Westchester Co.) - Interview w/ police chief

This town changed their ordinance from a winter parking ban to a snow parking ban. Here's a useful interview with the police chief about how it works:
http://www.fixehaparking.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=2

I could not find anything out about the current ordinance or public outreach materials on the Mount Kisco website. I did find reference to the establishment of a winter parking ordinance in 2000, and the repeal of that ordinance in 2001. I could not find the ordinance language.

Community members in the nearby community of Hartsdale / Greensburgh are using Mount Kisco as a model. See their petition for removing the winter parking ban and replacing it with a snow parking ban - http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/parkingban

Winnipeg, Canada - Winter overnight ban on arterials

Summary

The City of Winnipeg Canada combines a winter overnight parking ban for their arterial streets with a snowstorm-only overnight parking ban for residential areas.

1. Snow Route Overnight Parking Ban - affects designated arterial roadways every night during the Winter (2 am to 6 am). In Montpelier, a similar policy would mean that streets such as Main St., Elm St., Barre St., and State St. would prohibit parking every night.
2. Residential Area Overnight Parking Ban - this affects all residential streets but only overnight. It is declared and advertised through the media and a hotline phone.
3. Major Snowfall Parking Ban - this extends the hours on which parking is banned on Snow Routes to midnight to 6 am. It is also declared and advertised through the media and a hotline.
4. Temporary No Parking Ban - a particular street is signed as no parking, for massive snow removal. Montpelier currently does this via traffic cones / signs when snow has built up during the snow season, when the DPW brings in dump trucks.

The City also has an email notification system.

Public Outreach

Here's their website with full details: http://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/ParkingBans/Parking_Bans.asp

Ordinance

OVERNIGHT PARKING PROHIBITION ON STREETS BEARING “SNOW ROUTE” SIGNS

29. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle on a street bearing signs of the type specified and approved by Order No. 21/78 of the Highway Traffic Board (hereinafter referred to as “Snow Route” signs) between the hours of 02:00 and 06:00 of any day during the months of December, January and February.
amended 6288/93

PARKING PROHIBITIONS ON MAJOR SNOW ROUTES

29.1 (1) Where reasonably required in order to facilitate the removal of snow from streets bearing snow route signs, the Director may make a declaration prohibit standing, stopping or parking a vehicle between the hours of 00:00 and 06:00 on streets bearing a snow route sign for a period of time specified in the declaration. amended 86/2005

(2) Where the prohibition referred to in Subsection (1) is declared, the Director shall make, or cause to be made, a record of the time and date of such declaration, and forthwith file a “Declaration of Implementation of Parking Prohibition on Snow

Routes” at the Office of the City Clerk, Main Floor, Council Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg and inform the general public by issuing for immediate release, a communiqué to the media specifying the period during which the prohibition is in effect. added 6288/93

(3) No person may stand, stop or park a vehicle on a street bearing a snow route sign where a declaration made under subsection (1) is in effect. added 86/2005

PARKING PROHIBITION TO FACILITATE SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS ON STREETS NOT BEARING “SNOW REMOVAL” SIGNS

29.2 (1) No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle on a street not bearing “Snow Route” signs between the hours of 00:00 and 6:00 of any day where such stopping,

standing or parking has been declared by the Director to be prohibited.

(2) Where the prohibition referred to in Subsection (1) is declared, the Director shall make, or cause to be made, a record of the time and date of such declaration, and forthwith file a “Declaration of Implementation of Parking Prohibition on Residential Streets” at the Office of the City Clerk, Main Floor, Council Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg and inform the general public by issuing for immediate release, a communiqué to the media specifying the period during which the prohibition is in effect. added 6288/93

Cities With Automatic Bans Based on Snowfall

Here are some other cities that also have snow parking bans:

• Evanston, IL has an ordinance that goes into effect when 2" of snow falls. This applies only to arterial roads; the side streets have a separate (declared) ban that is most often called when there is 4"+ of snow. They also use an alert system via media, hotline, email, etc. Here's some info about their process:

http://www.cityofevanston.org/departments/parking/snow.shtml

• Portsmouth NH has a similar system, also with 2" of snow required for a ban, but it applies to all city streets equally. Here's some info about their ban system.

http://www.cityofportsmouth.com/publicworks/snowbanparkinglots.htm
http://archive.seacoastonline.com/news/01132007/nhnews-ph-por-parking.html

• Colchester, CT - http://www.colchesterct.net/Snow%20Parking%20Ban.doc

  Colchester's ordinance goes into effect automatically, when 1/2 inch of snow falls and ending 12 hours after the snow stops.

Here's their Ordinance: "There shall be a parking ban in effect on town roads after 1/2 in. of snow has accumulated. Said parking ban shall continue in effect for 12 hours after the cessation of the snowfall. If any vehicles are parked on town roads, in violation of this ordinance, the owners of said vehicles shall forfeit and pay for the use of the Town of Colchester a fine of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) to be recovered by an action on this ordinance brought in the name of the Treasurer of the Town. In addition, any vehicles parked on town roads in violation of this ordinance may be towed away by the TOWN OF COLCHESTER at the vehicle owner's expense."

Other Cities

Westfield, Massaschusetts
http://www.cityofwestfield.org/detpages/departments615.html