Snowless North Shore Towns Still Enforce Winter Parking Bans

February 21, 2012 9:58 PM

Snowless street in Peabody.

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PEABODY (CBS) – People on the North Shore say it’s outrageous. There’s no snow, but several towns are enforcing winter parking bans and even handing out hundreds of tickets.

Frustrated drivers say it makes no sense and some city officials agree.

Jonathan Byrne got a parking ticket from the city of Peabody, a ten dollar fine for violating a winter parking ban. The night Jonathan got his ticket; there wasn’t a flake of snow on the ground.

WBZ-TV’s Jim Smith reports

In neighboring Danvers, the cost of violating the parking ban is even higher, $15.

The winter parking ban in Peabody is in effect December first through April first. There is no parking on any street between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. whether it’s snowing or not.

“It wasn’t snowing, no snow in the forecast,” says Byrne. “At 1:05 I got a ticket.”

Last winter, Peabody handed out 1,080 tickets. During this non-snowy winter, Peabody has already issued 1,081 tickets.

Peabody City Councilor David Gamache wants to change the ordinance to match most other communities. If bad weather is approaching, only then would a parking ban be imposed.

“Is it fair? no,” says Gamache. “People look out it’s 50 degrees, you shouldn’t have to worry about parking on the street at night.”

WBZ checked many streets in Peabody and didn’t find one sign warning residents about the winter-long parking ban. So even though the region has avoided heavy snow during the winter of 2012, in Peabody, the parking ban is alive and well. At least for now.

Snowless North Shore Towns Still Enforce Winter Parking Bans

Becky Corbett

I may be devil’s advocate- but I used to live on the North Shore and i currently live in an area that has winter parking bans. Even in the snowiest winters- there are days without it snowing. If they let this by- then everyone could fight a non snowy day of any winter. The bottom line is- there is a ban. People are aware of the ban and they figure they will try their luck and get mad when it doesn’t go their way. A rule is a rule, a ban is a ban.

metoo

And Common Sense is still a good thing too!!

Chuck

Has there been any measureable show in Peabody This year? I’m away for the winter

dan

YOU MEAN SNOW

Andrew

If you have a ban on overnight parking in the winter and you ignore it, your’e going to get a ticket. Simple as that. If you don’t like the law, work to change it. Try living in Brookline where the overnight parking ban is year round, and the tickets way more than $10. One of the reasons I moved out of Brookline was because of that. Thankfully I now have a driveway.
PW

Excellent Report – LEXINGTON MASSACHUSETTS has same old laws and overnight guest get ticketed for no reason at all.

I understand the rule – they just should not ticket if there is no abuse.
George Bush

There is one guy on our street that always parks a car on the main road, he is of course a cop. They never obey the laws.
dan

you have to understand people………this is massachusetts ..they make thier own laws as they go along………the man in marblehead that built that 1miillion home was granted special permits by the TOWN..
dan

WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS ..WHERE DOES ALL THE MONEY GO WHEN THERE IS NO SNOW…..AND THEY HAVE A SURPLUS OF SALT IN CHELSEA..THEN THE NEXT YEAR WE HAVE NO FUNDS FOR SNOW REMOVEL OR NO SALT OR SAND….CAN SOMEONE GIVE AN ANSWER
mamom

Grew up in Belmont. Overnight street parking was banned year round…I live in Watertown and the ban is from 11/1-4/1. The town was great at the holidays…sent out a reverse 911 lifting the ban from Christmas to New Years. Bottom line…the rule is the rule. Don’t like it…live somewhere else.