Parking rules for snow plowing to change this fall
Snow-covered cars are parked in Whitefish. (Pilot file photo)
The city of Whitefish is implementing a new road maintenance schedule that will require vehicles to park on alternative sides of the street depending on the date.
Whitefish City Council last week approved an ordinance for “alternate-side parking” that will require cars to park on the even house-numbered sides of the street on even number calendar days, and the odd house-numbered sides of the street on odd number calendar days. The new regulations will run from Oct. 1 to April 30 of each year.
“The Public Works Department has struggled in the past to perform efficient and effective street maintenance activities such as snow plowing, street sweeping and leaf pickup due to the presence of parked cars,” Public Works Director Craig Workman said. “This should provide more streamline parking and maintenance.”
The goal is to improve that maintenance by allowing snowplows to reach the curb without parked cars impeding their progress, he said.
Under the new rule, if a person parks at 6 p.m. on Dec. 3 and does not plan to move the vehicle until the next morning, the person would park on the even side of the street because it will be Dec. 4 after 5 a.m. and the alternate-side parking will go into effect before the person plans to move the vehicle.
During public comment before Council, Rhonda Fitzgerald expressed concerns about the new parking ordinance describing it as “musical chairs” for cars.
She pointed out that the street where she lives, Lupfer Avenue, is a street that often has cars parked on both sides because of small lots.
“This will diminish the available parking by half,” she said. “Having this in effect for seven months of the year when leaf pickup happens rarely doesn’t make sense. This may not be the solution. Every other day parking in a different place creates confusion.”
Addie Brown-Testa, with At Your Service Property Management, asked the city to work with property managers to educate visitors about how the parking rule works.
Council seemed to agree that testing out the new parking rules for one winter would be worth it.
Councilor Richard Hildner said crews last winter were never able to plow streets fully to the curb because of parked cars.
“This is worth giving a year’s trial to this,” he said. “We need to make sure we educate people on how to park under the new rules.”
Councilor Andy Feury did express concern about compliance with the new rules, but said, “If it works, great. If not, let’s talk about it again next July.”
Whitefish has followed what the city calls an “avenues in the afternoon” rule for parking. City ordinance had required that vehicles be removed from roadways running east and west — primarily streets — in the morning, and north and south — primarily avenues — in the afternoon.
In the downtown area there is no parking from 2:30 a.m. to 6 a.m.
The city plans to install signs throughout the city to promote awareness of the new parking rules. The signs are estimated to cost about $1,500.