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Salem mulls Halloween parking fees for local businesses
Property owners have been profiting off parking spaces for decades — even though it’s been illegal.
As the spooky season approaches, America’s Halloween capital is tackling tourist parking issues.
Salem city councilors are considering a controversial Halloween parking program requiring businesses and property owners near downtown to get a permit to sell parking spots.
As of now, the law says property owners can’t sell spaces. But property owners have been selling parking spots for decades — without permits. However, the practice has not been enforced.
According to a Salem News report, city councilors on Wednesday unanimously supported the Halloween Parking Overlay proposal, which would make it legal for property owners within a half-mile of downtown to use their land to sell parking spaces. If approved, property owners would have to apply for a permit to sell the spots. The city council will take up the issue in time for the Halloween rush — the first vote is set for Sept. 15., and another for Sept. 22.
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According to a WCVB report, about 3,000 parking spaces are already in use. Roughly 25 property owners offer parking each fall, according to the Salem News, despite the practice being illegal.
“By legitimizing it, it creates some regulations,” Salem City Councilor Jeff Cohen said, according to the news outlet. “It would include fines. Each one of these lots would have mandated staffing. If there are repeated violations, they will not be able to operate.”
But not all Salem city councilors are on board with the proposal.
As the Salem News reports, several councilors could not vote at Wednesday night’s meeting. Only four of the 11-person council must vote against the parking proposal to shoot it down.
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Wednesday’s council meeting drew heated debate. Critics say the program would give the impression that Salem prefers tourist travel to the city by car, despite years of officials urging travelers to use public transit.
According to the Salem News, one critic of the parking plan, School Committee Member Beth Anne Cornell, said, “These regulations that are proposed are completely inappropriate for the scope of what’s being proposed. Mr. [Tom] St. Pierre hasn’t directly enforced parking regulations to date.”
Parking in Salem 2022
According to Salem.org, these are the public parking and drop zones in Salem.
- 15-Minute Drop Zones
New Liberty Street at the Visitor Center (1 spot)
Derby Street at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site (2 spots)
- 2-Hour Parking
Washington Square South (3 spots)
Congress Street southbound (4 spots)
- 1-Hour Parking
Washington Square West (2 spots)
Lynde Street (1 spot)
Essex Street at the Ropes Mansion (1 spot)
- Long-Term Parking
Fort Avenue (Westbound)
Salem Willows
Shetland Park, off Congress Street (for a fee)
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