Hartford, WI – The City of Hartford, Wi, is changing its winter street parking regulations. Below is a copy of the new winter parking permit and an explanation from Chief Scott MacFarlan.
Every year, the City of Hartford, WI fields calls from residents regarding the unavailability of overnight parking on city streets during the winter months of December through March.
The number of complaints or calls grows as more residents want parking for more vehicles.
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In response, staff examined the current winter parking ordinances and presented several solutions to the Public Works Committee and the Common Council.
The Common Council voted to create a resolution to change the winter parking regulations and open up additional options in public lots and allowing permitted alternate-side parking only on streets wide enough to accommodate a plow.
The ordinance now allows for the purchase of winter parking permits at the Hartford Police Department, by those vehicle owners who don’t have enough parking for vehicles in their garage or driveway.
The new permit allows parking on the street, December 1 to March 31, from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., on alternating sides of the street. The permitted vehicle shall be parked on the even numbered side of the street on those nights which at 3 a.m. bear an even calendar date and on the odd numbered side of the street on those nights which at 3 a.m. bear an odd calendar date. Permits may be transferred by the permit holder from one vehicle to another within the same household.
This permit does not allow street parking during a declared snow emergency.
Parking more vehicles on the streets during the winter months poses additional issues for the Department of Public Works staff who are tasked with clearing the streets of accumulated snow and ice.
It takes additional hours, gas, and salt to clear snow and ice from the streets where permitted vehicles were parked following a snowfall. As a result of this additional work, the Common Council determined it necessary to charge a permit fee to offset the additional costs of snow removal incurred by allowing overnight parking on City streets during winter months.
The cost of each new permit is $120 for the season and can be applied for and purchased from 6 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Hartford Police Department.
The permit issued is for one season and shall be hung from the rearview mirror of the vehicle unless such placement is not possible due to the design of the vehicle. The permit shall be placed in the vehicle so that it is visible to people outside of the vehicle.
In addition to the new permits, the city may designate municipally owned parking lots which may be used as overnight winter parking. Vehicles may be parked in designated lots without permits for a period not to exceed 24 hours and in compliance with all other requirements of the Municipal Code.
Designating a lot for overnight parking shall not supersede other parking restrictions imposed on the designated lot. A map of these designated lots, along with the winter parking ordinance will be posted on the City of Hartford website.