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1. How does the alternate side parking ordinance work?

During the months of October through April, between the hours of 5 am and 5 pm, do the following:

• On the even calendar days, park on the even side of the street
• On the odd calendar days, park on the odd side of the street

2. Why implement a new parking initiative now?

The new ordinance was developed to manage the challenges that are created by parked vehicles. The ordinance will primarily help with snow removal, by allowing plows to clear snow all the way to the curb line, however the new ordinance will also assist with the other roadway maintenance activities such as leaf pickup and street sweeping.

3. Does the alternate side parking apply to every street in town?

No. Streets with existing parking regulations do not fall under the alternate side regulations. Examples of this would be:

• Any street posted as "No Parking Anytime" on one or both sides
• Streets in the downtown district where no parking is permitted from 2:30 to 6 am
• Streets with angled or head in parking on one or both sides

4. Is alternate side parking in effect every day, even if it doesn't snow?

Yes. In order to allow residents time to adjust to the new regulation we thought it would be beneficial to implement alternate side parking in October. The fall implementation will also promote more effective leaf collection and street sweeping operations.

Our hope is that people will be accustomed to the new parking ordinance once it begins to snow, which will make for efficient and effective snow removal operations this winter with very few citations.

5. What happens if it snows in the middle of the night; am I supposed to get up and move my car?

Alternate side parking begins at 5 am every morning of the snow season, regardless of whether it snows or not. Therefore, you should plan to park or move your vehicle after 5 pm each day to the side of the road that will be permissible to park the following day.

Think of it this way: if it is 5 pm on November 11th, and you’re parked on the odd side of the street, you have 12 hours to move your vehicle. 

6. I think I got towed. Where is my car?

Vehicles will only be towed after multiple citations or after a significant snowfall.

If you believe that your vehicle was towed, you can call the Police Department at 406-863-2420, ext. 2.