Might there be fewer little yellow envelopes bedecking cars parked in Kingston this holiday season? Kingston mayor Steve Noble recently announced a holiday clemency period for drivers parking for two hours or less.
Starting Monday, Dec. 12, 2022 and ending Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, the city will offer free 2-hour parking in city lots and at parking meters. This is to “help support local holiday shopping and dining”, said Noble who added he hopes “the free parking helps to bring a little extra holiday cheer this season.”
If you thought the parking task force would be taking the holidays off, think again. According to the city’s announcement, the parking enforcement pros will be focusing on “meter repair and routine maintenance, but will issue safety violations such as blocking fire hydrants, parking in handicap spots, double parking, and expired inspections.”
One commenter on the city’s Facebook post announcing the free parking policy said, “Double parking tickets in the Stockade Area would surpass any amount of meter profits. I’m so sick of seeing a sea of four way flashers… parked in turning lanes, parking legally parked cars in.”
The commenter was referring to the practice of parking enforcement in uptown Kingston aggressively ticketing cars at expired meters while being apparently more lenient with the dozens of cars that double-park and congest streets uptown during the day.
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