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Residents press Haverhill council on winter parking; matter sent to public safety subcommittee
Summary
Multiple neighborhood residents described winter parking and snow-removal problems; council voted unanimously to send the issue to the Public Safety Subcommittee for further study with department representatives.
Residents from three downtown neighborhoods told the Haverhill City Council on March 11 that the city’s winter parking rules and enforcement practices are causing hardship, and councilors agreed to study changes.
Councilor Colin Basalier introduced three neighborhoods’ complaints and asked for a public hearing in subcommittee. Speakers described repeated instances of nonresidents occupying cleared spots, narrow streets that impede plows and emergency access, and what some called aggressive early ticketing.
"I shoveled the spot and they just drive right in," said Mary Anne Berry, a resident of Altamont Street. "I'm the first house on the street, so I never get to park in front of my house." Terry Lemieux, of Norfolk Street, and Robert Haxley, of Tremont Street, described similar problems and urged the council to consider resident permits, exemptions for dead-end streets and a grace period at the start and end of winter enforcement.
Haverhill Police Sergeant Lynch told the council that, after the recent winter storms, officers found roughly 75 vehicles covered with snow more than 72 hours later — a state threshold for abandonment — but only towed seven vehicles over two days because many cars were registered and appeared to be temporarily snowed in. Lynch noted towing ties up officers and that enforcement has operational costs.
Haxley urged a narrowly tailored "grace period" during times when ground conditions did not require plowing; he said many tickets were issued before significant storms and described that as unfair.
The council approved a motion, 10–0 (one member absent), to refer the matter to the Public Safety Subcommittee for a deeper review with representatives from public works, the police department, the parking commission and engineering. Councilors and staff said the subcommittee will consider options including resident permit parking, exemptions for narrow or dead-end streets, revised enforcement timing and public outreach.
