Winter Parking Bans: All You Need to Know

When the flakes start to fall, the Public Works Department (NOT the Police Department) has to make a decision whether to declare a snow emergency. To find out if a snow emergency has been declared, check the City’s Facebook page and website, check local news outlets, or call the Public Works Department at 324-9135. If a snow emergency/parking ban is announced and then it doesn’t actually snow, you will not be ticketed or towed UNLESS you are parked on certain streets where there is a seasonal parking ban from December 1 to April 1. The City Code regarding winter parking is outlined below, including the list of streets where no overnight parking is allowed between those dates.

• The Director of Public Works (or his designee) may declare that an emergency exists any time during the calendar year. The emergency shall be announced by notifying local radio and television media, by notifying other public safety departments of the City, and by other appropriate methods. The declaration of an emergency shall be accompanied by a ban on on-street parking. The announcement shall include the duration of the parking ban and that parking is prohibited on any public way until the parking ban is lifted.
• The Public Works Director (or his designee) shall also have the discretion to declare long-term parking bans if snow accumulation or public safety issues warrant emergency action in order to allow for the efficient removal of snow and ice. The Director may issue these bans City-wide or on specific streets and areas as deemed necessary.
• No vehicle shall be parked at any time during a declared snow emergency so as to interfere with or hinder the removal of snow from said public street or way. Any person restricting the City snow plowing, loading and hauling operation or any person parking a vehicle in violation of a “No Parking” sign placed on any street or way by the Public Works Department shall be subject to a fine under general penalties of the Code of the City of Sanford, Maine, or applicable statutes or regulations of the State of Maine.
• The parking of vehicles is prohibited between the hours of 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. from December 1 to April 1 on all of the following arterials: Route 202 (Lebanon Street), Winter Street, Cottage Street, Washington Street, River Street, Twombley Road, School Street, High Street, Grammar Street, Grammar Road, Route 224 and Pleasant Street, Oak Street, Jagger Mill Road, Old Mill Road, Emery Street, Main Street, Roberts Street, Beacon Street, Kimball Street, Berwick Road, Berwick Avenue, Shaw Road, Mt. Hope Road and New Dam Road.
• The Sanford Police Department is authorized to enforce the parking restrictions of this article. Notwithstanding any citations, fines or other penalties that may be issued or adjudged, the police officer acting to enforce these restrictions may also cause any vehicle parked in violation of this section to be removed from the street in accordance with the provisions of Article XVII of this chapter.