Starting tomorrow, Montpelier will no longer have a blanket ban on winter overnight parking on city streets. Instead, the city will declare bans as needed for salting and snow removal.
The current ordinance prohibits parking motor vehicles on the streets of Montpelier between the hours of 1 a.m. and 7 a.m., between Nov. 15 and April 1. But last month, after the ban was in place, the city decided to make changes to the ordinance that will ease parking restrictions – at least on a trial basis. Instead, the city manager will declare bans as needed. Those bans will prohibit parking between midnight and 7 a.m. on all city streets.
The city has been distributing a flyer explaining the change that states, "Effective Dec. 4, 2014 parking will be allowed overnight on city streets except when the city manager calls for a winter parking ban due to weather or snow removal activities."
The flyer goes on to state a ban will be declared under the following conditions:
A Winter Parking Ban may be declared when a predicted weather event or planned snow removal activities will require City Public Works crews to have clear access to the streets and sidewalks as determined by the Street Supervisor and City Manager. Every effort will be made to notify residents of a Winter Parking Ban by 6:00 P.M.
Residents can call the city's 24-hour Snow Line at (802) 262-6200 to find out if a winter parking ban in effect. Bans will also be posted on the city's website, Facebook page and Twitter feed. In addition, parking ban notifications will be distributed through the VT Alert system. System subscribers can sign up to get phone call, email or text message notifications.
Montpelier officials have also created a map that shows where overnight parking is allowed when a ban is in place. The map details parking spots along Blanchard Court and Stone Cutter's Way as well as in the Pitkin parking lot behind City Hall.
There are, however, some roads where the blanket overnight winter parking ban remains in effect. They are:
- Cedar Street for its entire length
- Court Street between its intersection with Elm Street and the intersection with Governor Aiken Avenue
- Downing Street for its entire length
- East State Street on its northerly side from Main Street to Cedar Street and on its southerly side from 89 East State Street to West Street
- Elm Street on both sides from State Street to Spring Street
- Langdon Street on both sides for its entire length
- Liberty Street from Main to Hubbard
- School Street on both sides between Elm Street and Main Street
- School Street from the intersection of School and Main Streets easterly to the intersection with Loomis Street
- Spring Street on both sides from its intersection with Elm Street easterly to its intersection with Keck Circle
- Taylor Street on both sides from State Street to Taylor Street Bridge
Cars left on the street during a ban may be ticketed and towed, resulting in a $15 ticket fine and a $65 towing charge.
