SALEM — The charge for residents to park in a city-owned garage during a snowstorm will increase from a flat $1 fee to an hourly rate, but the change probably won't affect people until next winter.
The City Council has voted to adopt a fee of 50 cents per hour to park at the South Harbor and Museum Place parking garages during a snow emergency parking ban. The change will take effect in April, when an updated citywide parking plan is put into place.
Currently, residents are able to park in either garage for $1 during a snow emergency, as long as they leave by 10 a.m. Street parking is not allowed when the city implements a snow emergency parking ban, which is usually when 2 or more inches of snow are expected.
Ward 2 Councilor Mike Sosnowski was in favor of the change, saying garage spaces are often taken by residents who have driveways but can't or don't want to dig out their cars after a storm. Increasing the price to park may open up spaces for those who truly need them, he said.
The Museum Place garage, adjacent to the Peabody Essex Museum, has more than 900 spaces; the South Harbor Garage, at the corner of Derby and Congress streets, has close to 250 spots.
During snow emergencies, free parking is also available at several city parking lots: Forest River Park, Gallows Hill (lower lot), Mack Park, Broad Street Playground, Castle Hill Playground, Salem Willows Park, Bentley Elementary School, the Saltonstall School parking area on Salem Street and the Jackson Street parking area at Collins Middle School.
Ward 7 Councilor Joe O'Keefe spoke against the fee hike, saying it's "outrageous" to charge residents to park during a storm.
The council took two votes last week: one to approve the 50-cents-per-hour rate, which Councilors O'Keefe and Paul Prevey voted against, and a second vote to make the change effective with the new parking plan in April, instead of immediately, which Councilors O'Keefe, Prevey and Jerry Ryan voted against.
Staff writer Bethany Bray can be reached at bbray@salemnews.com and on Twitter @SalemNewsBB.
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