HOULTON, Maine — With winter weather now officially here, thanks to a Dec. 5 snowstorm that dropped nearly a foot of heavy, wet snow on the region, the Houlton Police and Public Works department is reminding motorists of the town’s parking restrictions.
From Nov. 1 until April 1, 2021, it is unlawful to park any motor vehicle on any street or public way and on any municipally owned property within the town between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.
A two-hour parking limit also remains in effect year round from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on parking spots surrounding Houlton’s downtown.
Residents are reminded that it is illegal to plow or place snow on a public way when clearing their driveways. That public way extends to sidewalks and fire hydrants.
“The town’s biggest snow-related problem is the public plowing snow on to or plugging the sidewalks,” said Chris Stewart, public works director. “Plowing snow into the sidewalks causes a number of issues. The first being the safety of pedestrians walking the sidewalks. When there is a section that is plugged with snow, the pedestrians walk out into the roadways to go around those sections.”
Public parking lots at Water and Mechanic streets are options for people to park in downtown. After a snowstorm, owners are asked to move their vehicles to the “No all-night parking” section to allow for snow to be removed. Once snow removal is complete, vehicles can be returned.
“We ask that during a snow event to adhere to the parking ban on the streets and utilize the town’s parking lot,” Stewart said. “After the snow event is complete and the town has removed the snow from the day parking area, we ask that the public use the day parking area the evening after the storm, so that we can get the all-night parking area cleaned up.”
Stewart said the most recent storm went fairly well considering the length and totals that area received. “This was a good chance to work the bugs out of our equipment,” he said. “The public works crew did a great job, keeping the roads cleared and safe during and after the snow/ice event. I am very fortunate to have a crew that is dedicated to the town and takes pride in the work they do.”
Houlton Police Chief Tim DeLuca urged the public to work together to avoid any potential police action. He said even outside of the midnight to 6 a.m. parking ban, motorists must be aware that their vehicles could pose problems during a snow event.
“It can be a problem at times,” he said. “A vehicle cannot hinder snow removal when parked on any street.”
The chief added the police department would first attempt to locate the owner of any vehicle before having a vehicle removed. He also noted that it was illegal for a person to deposit snow on any yard other than their own during a storm. Downtown business owners are also responsible for removing snow and ice from the sidewalks in front of their respective businesses.
“Keeping these requirements in mind will help with safety for the community,” DeLuca added. “We would rather have everyone working together than to take enforcement action.”
Another problem that public works encounters is people pushing their snow against the numerous fire hydrants throughout the town.
“This hinders the response of the first responders, when there is an emergency situation,” Stewart said. “Instead of driving up and hooking on to the hydrant, time is spent clearing the snow from around the hydrant. All the issues come back to safety. We all need to think about safe ways to travel during the winter months.”
