Falmouth To Consider Two-Hour Main Street Parking Restriction

FALMOUTH – Falmouth business owners, town officials, and the police department are seeking some more clarity on parking issues on Main Street.

Problems have arisen with people parking far beyond the allotted time in spaces downtown. At a recent meeting, Police Chief Ed Dunne said the problem is a combination between a lack of enforcement and a general misunderstanding about what the restrictions actually are.

“Most people thought the town had two hour parking,” Dunne said. “But [the rules and regulations say] no person should park for a period longer than one hour.”

Dunne said that strict parking enforcement has been lacking for quite some time, dating back to Main Street’s renovation in the 1990’s when parking meters were removed.

Police are working on how to best enforce parking moving forward and are deciding how to best use resources and parking personnel.

In an effort to fix the issue, Dunne proposed a two-hour parking limit downtown. Selectmen took the proposal under advisement and will take up the matter again in January.

Some have called for a three hour limit instead of two or one.