Auburn residents and visitors will no longer be able to pick just any side of the street while parking in the spring and summer.

The city has announced that it will begin enforcing its new parking policy next week. Starting Monday, people will have to abide by alternate-side parking for the entire year or risk a parking ticket.

The policy change went into effect June 1. Before that, people only had to alternate their parking between November and March.

Auburn City Manager Mark Palesh said Monday that officials have given residents a couple months before enforcing the policy to get used to the new policy and to allow the city to replace signs as needed.

“Hopefully, the citizens will work with us and help us create a safer, cleaner city,” Palesh said.

Under alternate-side parking, people have to park their vehicles on the side of a street with odd address numbers on odd days of the month. On even days, vehicles are to be parked on the even side of the street.

The parking side switches at 6 p.m. So if a woman lived on 25 Franklin St. and left for work at 9 a.m. on August 25, she would get into her car on the same side of the street as her house. If she returned from work at 6:30 p.m., she would then have to park on the side opposite of her home.

The policy will be in place 6 p.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Friday between March 30 and November 15. From November through March, the policy remains in effect seven days a week.

City officials have said the new parking rules will improve public safety by making it easier for pedestrians and drivers to see and by giving large emergency vehicles enough space to travel down narrow streets. Officials have also said the policy will improve the efficiency of public works crews.

However, Auburn Police Chief Gary Giannotta expressed concerns on numerous occasions over the department's ability to enforce the new rules. This could be especially true during the summer, when parking is not the department's top priority, Giannotta said at the time.

Deputy Chief Thomas Murphy said Monday that officers will enforce the parking policy while on patrol. If they see violations, they will issue tickets, he said.

There is also the possibility of hiring a part-time officer specifically for enforcement, though that is only being discussed, Murphy said.

“Hopefully, we'll be able to work around the enforcement part of it,” he said.

Murphy also said officers have not received a lot of questions about the new parking rules from confused residents. However, he added that he does not expect that to continue.

“I'm sure once the press release runs, there will probably be more questions than not,” Murphy said.

Palesh said he thinks most residents know how the parking system works and abide by the rules. Visitors who do not know about the policy could be an issue, he said.

“We're still trying to determine what the level of abuse is at this point,” Palesh said. “We'll do the best we can.”

Staff writer Christopher Caskey can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 282 or christopher.caskey@lee.net

City of Auburn Code Chapter 285-13A - Alternate parking

Year-round. Except where otherwise prohibited, vehicles shall not be parked on even numbered sides of streets on odd-numbered days of the month for a 24 period commencing at 6 p.m. on Sundays nor on odd-numbered sides of streets on even numbered days of the month for a 24 hour period commencing at 6 p.m. on Sunday and said prohibited parking shall cease on 6 p.m. on Sundays of each week effective Nov. 15 through March 30 and 6 p.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Friday from March 30 through Nov. 15