City of Gloucester Reminds Residents of Winter Weather Ordinances

GLOUCESTER — Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken and Director of Public Works Michael Hale wish to remind residents of winter weather related ordinances and snow emergency expectations amid forecasts predicting snowfall later this week.

“Every year, we implement parking bans when necessary to ensure that our roadways can be properly and swiftly cleared of snow,” Mayor Romeo Theken said. “In order for everyone to be able to use our roadways safely, we need vehicles to be removed from the streets in these situations. Please, watch out for parking bans and adhere to them, and thank you for your continued cooperation to support our City’s snow removal operations.”

To view the National Weather Service’s forecast for the City of Gloucester, click here. 

Parking Ban Information

The City of Gloucester issues parking bans in advance of snowfall to facilitate its plowing and snow removal efforts. In the event a parking ban is declared as a result of a snow emergency, the Department of Public Works will turn on the blue lights, which shine at the top of the City Hall building on Dale Avenue, on the Boulevard near the Fishermen’s Wives statue, Magnolia Fire Station, Bayview Fire Station and Flannagan’s Gas Station. 

Parking bans are also announced on the City’s website here, on the City of Gloucester (@cityofgloucester) and Mayor Romeo Theken (@MayorSefatia) Facebook Pages, and through a Smart911 call. 

The City is authorized to ticket and tow any vehicles that remain parked in street parking areas during parking bans. Vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense. Parking bans will be announced with ample time to allow for people to move their vehicles accordingly. 

During parking bans, residents may park their vehicles at municipal and school parking lots at their own risk. Vehicles parked in these parking lots must shovel their cars out of the space they occupy. These temporary alternative parking locations include: 

• I4C2/Harbor Parking Lot (near Gloucester House Restaurant)
• Main Street Parking Lot
• Manuel F. Lewis Parking Lot
• Pleasant Street Parking Lot
• St. Peter’s Square (Town Landing Parking Lot)
• Fitz Hugh Lane Lot (Rogers Street next to TD Bank)
• Boynton Way Lot (off Rogers Street in between Pilot House lot and House of Mitch).
• School parking lots may be used in a snow emergency. Please note that the time frame in which cars are to be removed from school lots will be announced by the Mayor.

“It’s imperative the community works together to follow parking bans to ensure we’re able to effectively remove snow, and we encourage everyone to pay attention to the weather forecasts and watch out for snow emergencies as the winter season commences,” Hale said. “Thank you, and we wish everyone a warm, safe winter season.”

General Snow Emergency Expectations

In addition to parking bans, residents are also reminded of the following expectations and guidelines for a snow emergency:

• Residents and businesses must remove snow and ice from the sidewalk by their residence or facility within 24 hours of snowfall.
• The snow near fire hydrants must be fully cleared so that firefighters can quickly locate and access them in the event of a fire.
• Members of the community are encouraged to check in on their elderly and disabled neighbors who may need help shoveling. Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is advisable that these check-ins be made over the phone, text message, email and/or social media instead of in person, and residents are reminded to always wear a mask around those who live outside of their household. 
• Never throw ice or snow into the roadway. 
• Make sure trash and recycling containers are visible and not buried under snow.
• Residents are encouraged to use the Smart 911 system to receive important updates not only about extreme weather and parking bans, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, missing persons alerts, traffic alerts and other time sensitive, significant community updates. To sign up for the City’s Smart 911 alerts system, click here. 
• Residents are encouraged to report power outages to National Grid by calling 800-465-1212.

For more information about the City of Gloucester’s Snow Emergency Alert Center , click here. For information on snow related ordinances, click here. 

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