On-Street Snow Parking Ban

To maintain city services and access for emergency vehicles, significant winter snowstorms may result in the City of Ann Arbor declaring an on-street snow parking ban. Vehicles not abiding the ban may be ticketed and/or towed. The city prefers 100% voluntary compliance to avoid issuing tickets or towing vehicles.

Bans would be announced at least 12 hours in advanced and remain until lifted.
Vehicles with disability plates or placards are exempted.
Certain streets or blocks may be exempted due to a lack of driveways or inadequate parking alternatives.

Alerts

Street exemption map

Street exemption list

Request for exemption

Snow parking ban ordinance

Ann Arbor Parking Structures

Streets were examined for the amount of off street parking in addition to any other features that would make parking difficult or impossible. A good example of this is Pittsfield Village, where driveways do not exist and little off-street parking is available.

Each section of street exempted from the ban was examined by staff using aerial imagery and an on-site visit to estimate, to the extent possible, if enough space exists for residents to park off the street.

First and foremost, an alert will be sent via Everbridge to cell phones (via call or text), email and landlines, depending on your preference. That is why it is critical people sign up for these alerts.

Information will also be provided via the city's communication channels including this website, social media (Facebook, X, NextDoor) and CTN.

The same communication channels will be used to announce when a ban is lifted.

The city ordinance requires at least 12 hours advance notice of a ban going into effect. It is also important that residents keep an eye out for weather information and updates to anticipate when a ban might be called as any event greater than 4" of predicted snow could trigger an on-street parking ban.

Residents, students and commuters should think about and plan when and how they might have to move their car during the winter. Here are some tips:

Monitor local weather apps with winter storm alerts enabled.
Get to know your neighbors and work together to share driveway space.
If planning to be away from the city, identify who might be able to move your car and make sure they know where and they have a set of keys.
Identify nearby parking structures.
Help elderly or mobility-limited neighbors clear snow or move cars.

Prepare a "Snow Parking Plan":

Create a go-to plan for your household or employees:

Who will move vehicles?
Where will cars go?
Are keys accessible if someone else needs to move your car?
Write down garage locations and rates ahead of time so you’re not scrambling.

If working downtown or commuting in:

Ask if workplace offers snow emergency parking plans
Some employers arrange for staff parking in structures during bans.
Make sure customers coming in know what is going on.

Washtenaw County can declare a red or yellow winter travel bulletin when they determine road conditions are not safe for travel. This is generally not issued in advance and is communicated via the county's Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system, which is opt-out, meaning you have to ask the county to remove your phone number.

The City of Ann Arbor's on-street snow parking ban would be called in advance of a storm using the Everbridge alert system, an opt-in system meaning you have to request to be added, along with the city's other communications channels.

In the event an on-street parking ban has been declared and the country issues a red or yellow winter travel bulletin, people would not be required to move their cars.