Winter Parking
Tow Warning
Any vehicle in violation of snow removal procedures or interfering with snow removal operations will be towed at the owner's expense.
All vehicles parked in areas other than those designated as snow emergency areas will be towed at the owner's expense.
Parking Bans and Winter Break
Due to the unpredictability of weather during the winter months, snow emergencies and parking bans can be declared at any time by the director of Facilities Management or a designee. It is incumbent upon vehicle owners to be alert for snow parking bans that may be issued by Facilities Management. In the event of a major snowstorm, Facilities Management will send out an email to declare a snow parking ban.
The director of Facilities Management or designee will determine the time and occasion when parking lots must be free of vehicles for plowing operations and designate snow lots where cars may be left in the interim to allow for plowing. There will be no parking by students, staff or visitors on any campus road, in parking spaces or lots at these times.
Emergency Snow Parking Lots
Stables Lot, Pasture Lot, Tennis Court Drive, Tennis Court Lots and the Parking Garage (only green-lined spaces). Only vehicles with current Smith College parking decals may use these areas. All other vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense.
Lots During Winter Break
Students who have current Smith College parking decals and intend to leave their vehicle on campus during break must park in one of the snow parking lots. Student vehicles without current Smith College parking decals left on campus during break will be towed at the owner's expense.
City of Northampton
Smith College and the city of Northampton have separate parking regulations governing snow emergencies and parking bans. The college does not post notification of city parking bans. Information must be obtained from the city of Northampton (see below).
When weather conditions warrant, an official snow emergency is called by the city of Northampton. For the duration of a snow emergency, parking on all city streets and city parking lots is prohibited, per city ordinance, between 12:01 a.m. and 6 a.m., except for downtown Main Street, where parking is prohibited between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Snow emergencies remain in effect until officially lifted.
If you park overnight on a city street or in a nonexempt city parking lot during a snow emergency, your vehicle will be ticketed and towed.
Snow removal often continues after a snow emergency is lifted. Areas of restricted overnight parking will be physically posted, or a public Snow Removal Notification will be issued, detailing which streets are affected. Check the Northampton Snow Emergency Hotline at 413-586-6969 if you have any question about a parking ban.
During a snow emergency free overnight parking is available in the city parking lot on Armory Street (near the Parking Garage) except from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to allow plowing there. Overnight parking is available in the John E. Gare parking garage at all hours, on a space-available basis. There is, however, a fee for overnight parking in the garage. If you believe your car was towed, please don't call the DPW or Northampton Police. Call Northampton Dispatch at 413-587-1100. They will let you know where your car is and whom to call to get it back.
Please note: A Smith College parking ban does not have any relationship to a city parking ban. For information on a Northampton snow emergency and related parking bans, please call the information line at 413-586-6969. You can also subscribe to an email alert system to receive email notification of snow emergencies and parking bans. To subscribe to DPW alerts, go to www.northamptonma.gov. Northampton may call a snow emergency for extended days and also when there is not a snow emergency at Smith.
More Resources
Additional information regarding snow emergencies is available through the following: