Winter Parking Ban

§ 284-12. Parking; prohibited practices.

A.   No vehicle shall be parked on a public street to remain continuously so parked during the period from 12:00 midnight to sunrise, except in case of emergency, and any vehicle so parked during the period from 12:00 midnight to sunrise shall, at the discretion of the Police Department, be towed away at the expense of the owner of said vehicle.

B.    No vehicle shall be parked on a public street between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. during snowstorms, during snowplowing operations by the city or its agents or during snow removal operations by the city or its agents. In addition to the penalties provided by this article, any vehicle found parked contrary to the provisions of this subsection shall, at the discretion of the Police Department or Municipal Services Department, be towed away at the expense of the owner of said vehicle. [Amended 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 98-4]

C. No person owning or operating any type of motor vehicle or carriage or having in his or her charge any motor vehicle or carriage shall cause or allow said vehicle to remain standing or parked within the limits of any street in the city in such a manner that said vehicle will interfere with or impede the plowing of snow from the surface of said street, and so-called all-night parking on any street in the city is hereby prohibited during the months of January, February, March, April, November and December.

D. No person owning or operating any type of motor vehicle or other vehicle or having in his or her charge any vehicle shall cause or allow said vehicle to remain standing or parked within the limits of any public parking area in the city, excepting a certain area as designated by signs erected from time to time by the Police Department permitting overnight parking in said posted area between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., in such manner that said vehicle will interfere with or impede the plowing of snow from the surface of said parking area between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. during the months of January, February, March, November and December.

Editor's Note: Original Section 5.05, which immediately followed this subsection and provided for two-hour parking on portions of Central Street, Franklin Street and Memorial Street, was deleted 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 98-4. See now § 284-23. [Amended 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 98-4]

E.  Any vehicle parked in violation of the provisions of this section may be towed away by the city or its agents to a suitable location and held there until the reasonable cost of said removal shall have been paid to the city, as well as a storage charge, if said vehicle shall not be reclaimed within 24 hours of its removal. These charges shall be in addition to any fine imposed for violation of this Code.

F. Unless they are inconsistent with the previous regulations, all state statutes with reference to the operation and parking of motor vehicles are hereby deemed in full force in the city. Where appropriate, the doctrine of state preemption shall apply. In cases where two standards are promulgated, the higher shall be deemed to apply.