Council refers October parking overlay changes and linked $2-per-space excise home-rule petition to planning and ordinance committees

The Salem City Council on Feb. 27 referred proposed changes to the city’s October parking overlay rules and a linked home-rule petition that would authorize a $2-per-space-per-day excise to the Planning Board and to the Committee on Ordinances, Licenses and Legal Affairs.

Councilor Hapworth outlined proposed changes that would expand a temporary parking-use program citywide for a set period around the Halloween season, require property owners to register and pay a $100 fee, and exclude resident-only parking streets. He described the amendment as replacing a limited overlay zone with a citywide, time-limited authorization for private-property owners to offer seasonal parking for visitors. "The amendment would eliminate the existing overlay zone, instead allow the use citywide for a designated period each year," Hapworth said.

Hapworth told the council the proposal is tied to a home-rule petition that would impose an excise tax of $2 per space per day; he said the ordinance would be less effective if the state does not approve the tax. Councilor Watsonfeld and others said enforcement has been difficult under the current overlay and asked for additional data on traffic and public-safety impacts before expanding the program.

Next steps: the Planning Board and ordinance committee will hold joint public hearings and review potential enforcement mechanisms, safety impacts and the linked home-rule petition.