The Gardner City Public Safety Committee on Aug. 28 reviewed a traffic commission communication showing more vehicles are being towed under the city’s Code Red winter-parking system and discussed a proposal to shorten the seasonal parking ban and rely on storm-triggered notifications outside the core winter months.

Committee members and public-safety staff said the increase in tows and attendant enforcement work is stretching police and Department of Public Works resources and delaying road clearing during storms. “When the first snowstorm hits of the year … we towed in upwards of close to 60 cars,” Deputy Chief (title on record: Deputy Chief, name not specified) told the committee, saying officers and DPW are spending extra hours contacting owners and redoing plow routes.

Traffic commission members recommended a hybrid model that would shorten the set winter-ban window and use Code Red notifications for storms outside that period. The commission’s letter, read to the committee, compared recent tow counts under the Code Red system with prior years when the city used a fixed-date ban and found higher tow numbers under the new system.

Parking enforcement staff described the community impact when vehicles are towed. The parking clerk said staff can consider waiving some parking-violation fines but have no authority to waive private tow-company fees, which residents have complained are expensive. The clerk also noted signage and overnight-parking-lot hours that still reflect the older November-to-April date range and suggested updating lot signs and increasing overnight inventory.

Several councilors and committee members said they understand both sides: residents who have limited off-street parking and city crews who must be able to clear roads quickly. Councilor Brooks said shortening the ban “makes sense, given that we’re focusing on the most severe times,” while another councilor noted the practical difficulty when larger storms are forecast and residents wait for a last-minute notice.

Staff listed existing all-night parking locations that could be promoted if the ban window is shortened, including West Street, Connor Street, Milton Street, the lower section of the parking deck, and areas behind the South Gardner station. Members discussed asking the traffic commission to prepare a concrete ordinance proposal and holding a public hearing—likely an evening session to allow working residents to participate—before any formal change.

The committee did not adopt an ordinance at the meeting. Instead, after discussion the committee agreed, without objection, to keep the matter open for further traffic-commission work and public input. The committee also noted the need to analyze tow counts by year (staff said final 2025 totals would not be available until December) and to consider how many storm events occurred in each year when comparing tow totals.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to waive the reading of the minutes of the Aug. 4, 2025 meeting and accept the minutes (motion by Councilor Brooks; second by Councilor Hardin): approved (voice vote recorded as “Aye;” no roll-call tally recorded).
- Committee consensus to keep the winter-parking item open for further work and public input (no objection): consensus to continue discussion.
- Motion to adjourn (motion by Councilor Hardin; second by Councilor Brooks): approved (voice vote recorded as “Aye;” no roll-call tally recorded).

What’s next

The committee asked the traffic commission to produce a more concrete hybrid proposal or ordinance text for the committee to consider and recommended scheduling a public hearing (likely in the evening) so residents can comment. Staff and commission members will also review signage for overnight lots and options to increase overnight parking inventory if the ban window is shortened.