My outrage at the Newton Police Department’s good intentions but poor understanding of parking dynamics blinded me to the second half of the Newton Police Department’s Facebook post, in which the Newton Police Department announces that it won’t be enforcing the overnight parking ban, unless there is a snow emergency:
Additionally, enforcement of the overnight parking ban will be suspended for both the Christmas and New Year holidays. Enforcement of the parking ban will not take place December 22nd through December 25th and December 29th through January 1st. If, however, there is a declared snow emergency during those dates, cars will need to be removed from the streets for the duration of the snow emergency as usual to allow for plowing.
First, this is absolutely the right policy. Newton has too much on-street parking, but the overnight parking ban is not the right solution.
Second, the Newton Police Department’s waiver-unless-it-snows approach illustrates just how unnecessary the winter parking ban is. Announcing a snow emergency is sufficient on its own to keep streets clear.
Third, this isn’t the first time.
Fourth, who’s making these decisions? The winter parking ban is a municipal law, duly enacted by Newton’s legislative body, as are parking reguations. Is anyone else uncomfortable with the Newton Police Department deciding on its own to ignore the laws as written?
“Newton Police Department’s waiver-unless-it-snows approach illustrates just how unnecessary the winter parking ban is.” THIS.
Also, I would love to see Tom Davis jump in on this thread because he made some excellent points when the ban was lifted on Thanksgiving week.
Not uncomfortable with suspension of this particular law -at all. It’s common sense, and hopefully it will show that scrapping the law altogether (except for snow emergencies of course) is also common sense. Noting that the suspensions are covering more days than they did last year, IIRC
Who makes these decisions?
The same people who convinced Mayor Warren to pull support for the homeless shelter in Waban.
On your fourth (technical) point, the police chief makes temporary adjustments to parking regs all the time, but usually for construction or a parade. It seems like a stretch to consider overnight parking as “lawful assemblage”. But there’s an interesting clause there (see italics)
Expanding on Adam’s point, I’ve heard that you can contact the police to ask them to make an allowance for you to park on the street under certain circumstances. One circumstance I know of was someone got in a car accident and had a rental + their car which hadn’t been repaired yet and another was that their mom was visiting and needed a place to park.
If the police are able to makes these kinds of allowances, then the ban as it is written isn’t necessary and the city council needs to rethink it. I believe Councillor Albright is planning to docket something very soon, so hopefully they can come up with a more reasonable solution.
Now tMr. Roche has signed of on this policy, I guess we can all rest at night. Why aren’t all decisions coming from city hall and related addresses first be passed by Mr. Roche for his blessing? Wouldn’t we all just be some much better off.
Roche Bless everyone this holiday season.
I don’t know about everyone, Elmo. But, certainly wishing you and yours a blessed holiday season and a wonderful New Year!
@Sean: Sure but that still leaves the marijuana cafe owner that Bob wants to visit when he’s in Waban with very few leasing options.
I’m just trying to be practical here
Happy Holidays, Sean.
While Elmo and I rarely agree and his tone was unfortunate, I assume he was saying that an acknowledgement that your previous thread was unnecessarily derogatory to the Newton police would have been a generous gesture.
Jane,
I’m pretty sure Elmo was referring to my willingness to criticize policy options (not my tone), hence the snarky suggestion that all city decisions receive my blessing before being implemented. While it appeals to my ego, that would be anti-democratic, as I am not an accountable elected official.
So I will continue to criticize (and, occasionally compliment) public officials from my cyber-perch, which is, happily much more consistent with democratic principles.
As for tone, please see my comments on that thread.
In the meantime, wishing you, too, all the blessings of the season and a wonderful 2018.