Village of Saugerties officials and local police will be backing off strict enforcement of the winter parking rules, which prohibits parking on the streets between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. between December 15 and March 15.
Saugerties normally gets its biggest snowfalls between December and March, and the early-morning parking ban gives the village Department of Public Works time to get the white stuff off the roads for school buses and commuters. Because last winter and some others before came up a bit short in the snow department, trustees came to the conclusion that residents shouldn’t be prevented from parking on the streets overnight if there was no snow.
The only problem is how to notify residents if the ban will be in effect in case of a snow event. Trustee Terry Parisian, who has spoken out about eliminating the ban, believes the village website might be a good place to post a notice about a parking ban. But mayor  William Murphy noted that not everyone would check the website to hear about a parking ban.
Trustees finally agreed to ask the police either not to write tickets during the winter months for street parkers if there was no snow on the streets or predicted, or at least to give a warning to first-time violators, and a regular ticket only after that.
The proposal is still a work in progress. Trustees would like public input. Anyone with an idea that still gives the DPW a chance to clear the roads in case of snow can call village hall at 246-2321, ext. 1.
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