Plymouth Suspends Parking Enforcement Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

PLYMOUTH, MA —Parking restrictions will not be enforced in Plymouth amid the coronavirus pandemic. Park Plymouth said it is implementing the no-enforcement policy immediately and that it will last until at least March 29.

The move is being made to help protect Park Plymouth employees safe as well as to help alleviate the burden on downtown business that are staying open. During the suspension, no parking tickets will be issued for municipal parking lots and meters.

The opening of the paid parking season will be delayed until April 15. Park Plymouth offices will remain open for those needing services. Park Plymouth is giving its parking enforcement staff two weeks off of paid leave.

"We understand that local businesses, which are so vital to our community, are seeing tremendous effects by current events and by eliminating parking enforcement in the downtown area we hope to provide some relief for businesses and their patrons," Park Plymouth Executive Director David Friend said.

Friend said the suspension will be reevaluated in advance of March 29, but that Park Plymouth is looking at substantially easing its parking enforcement through the month of April to encourage patronage for downtown businesses and restaurants, if they are allowed to reopen on April 7 following the state's mandated shutdown beginning Tuesday.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced a series of unprecedented measures across Massachusetts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, including closing all schools for three weeks, restricting public gatherings of more than 25 people, and ordering the state's restaurants close to patrons but remain open for takeout or delivery. The school and restaurant measures take effect Tuesday. The state also issued new public health orders, including banning visitors to most hospitals and nursing homes and having hospitals postpone elective procedures.

"If everybody treats this as a three-week summer vacation early, that's not going to help us," Baker said, urging families to take social distancing seriously.

Baker announced the aggressive actions after asserting he is not planning a widespread shutdown of the state. But the actions announced Sunday evening impose some of the most severe restrictions in state history. Baker said schools will be closed through April 7. His order applies to all public and private schools, but not to special education schools.

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