Mayor Scott Warns Against Saving Shoveled Parking Spots In Baltimore

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is making it clear that saving shoveled parking spaces during snowstorms is not allowed and won’t be enforced by personal items left in the street.

Across the city, residents have been seen using cones, lawn chairs, and even cardboard boxes to claim parking spots they spent hours digging out after the storm. City officials say those items can be removed.

“If you put a lawn chair out there and I see it, it’s going away,” Scott said. “If you’re doing that, take the next step. If you have an elderly neighbor, dig their spot out too. Don’t just dig yours out.”

Sunday’s winter storm dropped nearly eight inches of snow across Baltimore, trapping vehicles in curbside parking spaces and forcing residents to spend hours shoveling their cars free. In neighborhoods with limited parking, that effort has fueled frustration and disputes over who gets to use cleared spaces.

Some residents argue that the time and labor involved should count for something. Despite those sentiments, city officials say reserving public parking spaces is illegal, even after snowstorms. Other residents say fairness and safety should come first.

City leaders continue to urge residents to look out for one another and avoid actions that could escalate tensions as cleanup efforts continue.