To allow for more flexibility in addressing snow storms, the Select Board voted on Feb. 12 to shift Marblehead’s current overnight parking ban to be more storm-specific.
Marblehead’s former policy – known as the “All Night Parking Ban” – stated that on-street parking is prohibited from 12-7 a.m. when a snow emergency is declared, and any vehicles that violate the parking restrictions would be subject to towing and parking tickets.
According to Select Board Chair Erin Noonan, flexibility in a snow emergency is important to the town because “Mother Nature does not necessarily abide by those arbitrary hours.”
The town’s new policy shifts from a strict time range to a case-by-case basis where the department of public works director, fire chief, police chief and town administrator can take the weather into account to properly address the emergency. Those four have been, and will continue to be, responsible for declaring a snow emergency and issuing storm-specific mandates on an as-needed basis.
Any vehicles violating the parking restrictions declared during an upcoming snow emergency will still be subject to towing and parking tickets.
