It’s a unique winter tradition in Boston: Buckets, tablets, pots and stepstools lining city streets during snowy weather as locals claim freshly-shoveled parking spots.
But some on the Boston City Council say this winter, space savers were left sitting out for far too long.
“Forty-eight hours, but we see they’re still in the street a week after, almost two weeks after,” said District 7 City Councilor Miniard Culpepper. “We really want to look at the policies, we want to look at how they’re enforced.”
Culpepper is calling for a hearing to discuss enforcement options for future snow events and urging Boston residents to do their fair share.
“The community should live up to their responsibility,” he said.
A Boston snow strike force is being proposed to help the city dig out from winter weather like it’s seen in the last few weeks. And it’s not the only idea being floated by the city council.
Groups like the South End Community Board want to take it a step further. The neighborhood banned space savers years ago, and the group feels Boston could be doing more to curb the practice citywide.
“There’s no reason why that stuff that is found in the streets cannot be collected as part of the normal trash collection routine,” said Stephen Fox with South End Community Board. “That’s the kind of enforcement that would work.”
Others on the city council see the situation a bit differently.
“Growing up here in the city of Boston, if you take somebody’s spot, you’re going to get your tires slashed,” said At-Large Boston City Councilor Julia Mejia.
“One size doesn’t fit all,” said District 2 Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn. “It’s about working together.”
Culpepper says the variety of opinions can factor into the conversation, with the main goal being more resident buy-in and city enforcement if necessary.
“It’s a partnership,” he said. “I’m calling out the community.”