During the February 23rd Select Board meeting, a motion to implement a pilot overnight parking program was passed. Details of the pilot program:

• Overnight street parking is allowed except during a snow emergency. Note that (as per discussion by the Select Board) overnight parking IS allowed during other (minor) snow events and during snow/ice treatments by the Department of Public Works.
• The pilot program is limited to the area of town that is enclosed by Main St, Skillings Rd., Mt Vernon, Highland, and the Woburn town line (see map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1T2xJBtdJNjTw3I0SELmTPSqx96D6ld8&usp=sharing).
• The pilot will run from March 1 to April 30.
• During snow emergencies, parking will be available at the Jenks lot and designated spaces of the Muraco Elementary School parking lot. (The spaces at Muraco to be determined.)

Recommendations:

All Winchester residents who park their vehicles on the street overnight should sign up for snow alerts via the official town hall website. (https://www.winchester.us/445/get-notifications)

Residents are encouraged to write to Anthea Brady and thank her for her efforts getting this pilot overnight parking program implemented. Her email is: abrady@winchester.us

Comments:

This PILOT program is the first step towards eventually eliminating the overnight parking ban altogether town-wide, which would be a welcome improvement for the Winchester community.

The Select Board voted unanimously to pass the pilot project. (Select Board members who were present for the vote were: Michelle Prior, Anthea Brady, Will McGonigle, and Michael Bettencourt. John Fallon was not present at the meeting.)

Additional Information

Below is the text of the email that Town Manager Chris Senior shared with the Select Board prior to the February 23rd meeting:

PILOT Overnight Parking Program

Based on conversations with the Select Board Vice-Chair Brady about her PILOT overnight parking program concept, and further discussions with Police Chief O/Connell and DPW Director Labossiere about the logistics of such a program, I present the following proposal:

• Program duration: March 1 – April 30.
• Area: streets within a zone bordered by Highland Avene t the east, the Woburn line to the north, Main Street/Skillings Road to the west, and Mount Vernon Street to the south (See attached Map)
• Parking restrictions: lifted for overnight parking except where otherwise prohibited and during snow emergencies
• Alternative site parking for snow emergencies: at the Jenks Center Lot and designated spaces at the Muraco School Parking lot

Location and duration

In order to best judge the effectiveness of this concept, an area encompassing a segment of the northeastern corner of the Town was recommended by the Police Department. This will also make both the Jenks and Muraco lots as natural locations for alternative overnight parking when needed.

With winter storms possible through the next six weeks, running this program for the remaining period of potentially stormy weather makes sense.

Next steps

Upon approval of the plan, arrange for DPW in collaboration with the School Department to make the designated spaces at the Muraco School parking lot.

Exploring a spring and summer program of lifting overnight parking restrictions could also be explored, and a more robust winter program developed and presented for approval by the fall of 2026.