I want to share why it’s essential to vote NO on the ballot question to repeal Newton’s winter overnight parking ban.
Our City Council has revisited this issue several times in the past decade, and many councilors and candidates now agree that Newton needs a neighborhood-specific parking plan — one that reflects the differing needs of our city’s varied streets and communities. Until such a plan exists, repealing the current ban would be premature and unsafe.
Newton’s 90-year-old winter overnight parking ban (2AM–6AM) keeps streets clear for snow removal, emergency vehicles, and residents. Without it, parked cars will clog already narrow roads, block plows, and make winter driving hazardous. Even modest storms can pile snow around parked cars, leaving single-lane access for traffic, emergency response, and school buses.
The National Weather Service predicts above-average snowfall and below-average temperatures this winter. Declaring more frequent snow emergencies isn’t a viable alternative. Newton has done so only three times in the past five years, each at a cost of $4–$5 million.
As large new housing complexes rise across Newton, on-street parking demand will only grow. If the ban is repealed, developers will skip providing adequate on-site parking, and tenants will skip paying parking fees, pushing even more cars onto neighborhood streets.
Newton already offers temporary exemptions for caregivers and guests, as well as free municipal lot permits for necessary overnight parking.
Give our city time to design a thoughtful, neighborhood-based policy that balances accessibility and safety. Meanwhile, keeping the winter overnight parking ban is the responsible choice.
Please join me in voting NO on the parking ban repeal. www.newtonparking.com
Carolyn Gabbay
Newtonville
