The Select Board voted Wednesday to replace the town’s fixed overnight parking ban during snow emergencies with a more flexible storm-specific approach that will allow officials to adjust parking restrictions based on weather conditions and snow removal needs.
The new policy suspends the current “All Night Parking Ban” under Article 5 Section 8 of town regulations in favor of an as-needed emergency response system. Under the revised approach, DPW Director Amy McHugh, Fire Chief Jason Gilliland and Police Chief Dennis King, in coordination with Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer, will determine the timing of parking bans based on forecast and live weather conditions.
“That’s the whole idea of sort of breaking away from midnight and 7 time hacks,” said Kezer. “For a snow operation, it’s not just about plowing. There’s all the prep work — like sanding and salting in advance. Then, during the storm, you plow to keep the streets open. But afterward, you have to move the accumulated snow, since during the operation, it’s often piled up in critical areas like intersections and corners.”
McHugh explained the operational challenges that led to the policy change, noting that snow removal is more complex than many residents realize.
“An 8-inch storm takes 14 hours to clear,” McHugh said. “We’re not hiring a contractor who’s rotating through people and through equipment. We are doing it all in-house, so we definitely have looked at it again.”
The change comes after a Town Meeting vote in 2020 that initially moved Marblehead away from a seasonal parking ban to an emergency-based system. However, officials found that the midnight to 7 a.m. restriction didn’t always align with storm patterns and snow removal needs.
“Mother Nature did not abide by those hours,” noted Select Board Chair Erin Noonan, referring to the weekend snowfall.
Select Board member Moses Grader emphasized the importance of clear communication.
“We’re asking to have flexibility with the ban, to trust that will minimize the impact on the community,” Grader said.
As King put it: “The management of business for us is that when it’s called, get off the street, if you don’t get off the street, you’re going to be ticketed and towed.”
Notifications will be sent through the town website, CodeRED automated call system, town-managed social media accounts, MHTV and other available outlets. The town has seen increasing participation in its emergency notification systems, with growing numbers of residents signing up for alerts.Officials stressed that resident cooperation is crucial for the new system to work effectively. Kezer emphasized the importance of advance planning.
“This is actually an ask to the public, to the residents, is that, as we’re in fall going into winter, before we hit the storms, make a plan for a place to take your car right, whether it’s on your property, lawn arrangements with others, that is probably the most impactful thing that can be done to have a positive effect is that the residents to proactively have a strategy.”
The policy allows for enforcement through parking tickets and towing for vehicles that violate emergency parking restrictions. The vote is revocable if town officials determine it negatively impacts public health and safety.
McHugh highlighted recent improvements in snow removal capabilities, including new sidewalk plowing equipment.
“We have a few different ones. We have an angle plow that was purchased by the DW that one goes now. But also school has a tractor that has a small snow drawer. We have a big snow thrower on our sidewalk tractor.”
For snow emergency updates, residents can sign up for CodeRED alerts through the town website at marblehead.org. Additional information will be shared through town-managed social media accounts, MHTV, other municipal communication channels and, of course, the Marblehead Current. Kezer also encourages residents to make parking arrangements in advance of winter weather events.
