Council weighs citywide approach to October private parking rentals; refers proposed registration and surcharge to Planning Board

City staff presented a proposed revision April 16 to Salem’s temporary October “Halloween” parking overlay that would remove the overlay’s arbitrary quarter-mile geometry around the B5 district and replace it with a citywide registration system for private parking rentals during a limited period around Halloween.

Staff described the current program as administratively costly and geographically inconsistent: under the ordinance adopted in prior years, permitted private lots added roughly 1,400 spaces in October but enforcement generated numerous complaints and about 73 zoning tickets last season. The proposal presented to the council would allow property owners to register spaces with the city for the limited October period (the Friday before Oct. 1 through the Monday after Oct. 31), require a $100 annual registration fee and permit both commercial and non-resident private residential properties to participate except on streets with resident-parking protections. Residential streets that already have resident parking protections would remain ineligible to prevent displacement of residents who lack driveways.

Staff said the registration would require basic contact and site information and would be accompanied by regulations the Transportation Commission would adopt that could cover display of a permit, time limits, and enforcement rules. Staff also described a home-rule petition under consideration to authorize a $2 per-space-per-day surcharge on spaces rented to the public; that surcharge would fund the city’s transportation enhancement fund, including shuttle and bike-share support. Staff emphasized that if the city simply prohibited private October parking outright, enforcement would still be required citywide; a regulated registration system was presented as a way to reduce enforcement time per complaint and provide predictable rules for participants and neighbors.

Councilors and members of the public expressed mixed views. Supporters — including downtown business owners and several residents — argued the proposal levels the playing field, captures revenue that could pay for transportation improvements and takes pressure off downtown traffic by creating more lawful parking capacity. Opponents and some neighborhood councilors said the change risks shifting congestion into residential neighborhoods, will be difficult to enforce, and could create late-night disturbance and safety concerns without strict time controls. Several councilors requested regulations that would require a visible permit, time restrictions for when rented vehicles must leave, and a publicly accessible registry to reduce complaint-driven enforcement.

At the close of public comment the council voted to close the hearing and referred the proposed amendment to the Planning Board for review and recommendation. Staff said draft regulations and a map of resident-parking-protected streets would be provided for further review.