[Amended 2-12-2020 by Ord. No. 2020.01.08-001]
As used in this article the following terms mean:[2]
METERED ON-STREET PARKING SPACE
A portion of a public highway consisting of a section of a public right-of-way in which the parking of a vehicle is controlled by a parking meter.
METERED PARKING GARAGE
A portion of a public highway consisting of a parking garage, deck or structure in which the parking of a vehicle is controlled by a parking meter.
METERED PARKING LOT
A portion of a public highway consisting of a parking lot in which the parking of a vehicle is controlled by a parking meter.
MULTI-SPACE PARKING METER
A parking meter that controls vehicle parking for more than one space in a parking meter zone.
PARKING METER
A mechanical device located upon a public highway or sidewalk in a place regularly designated as a parking meter zone, as hereinafter defined, which shall record a certain number of minutes by the use of a clock mechanism determining the period of time for which parking privileges may be extended to the person so depositing a coin, or any device that produces a ticket upon which the amount of time parking privileges are extended may be printed.
PARKING METER ZONE
Any designated section of the public highway within which a vehicle may be temporarily parked and allowed to remain for such period of time as indicated upon the parking meter or multi-space parking meter attached therein.
PAY-BY-PLATE APPLICATION
A telephone or other electronic application to pay for parking.
[Added 12-8-2021 by Ord. No. 2021.11.10-011]
[1]
Editor's Note: For additional definitions, see § 141-1.
[2]
Editor's Note: The definition of "in-vehicle parking meter," which immediately followed, was repealed 10-11-2023 by Ord. No. 2023.09.27-11.
A. 
The rules and regulations herein contained pertaining to the control of vehicle traffic and parking areas shall apply to any person.
B. 
The City Council of the City of Dover may, by resolution, suspend the operation of this article for temporary periods in cases of emergency, for the public good or for other reasons which, to it, appear to justify such suspension. If any section or part of a section of this article is held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections or part thereof.
The City of Dover shall provide for the installation, regulation and operation of parking meters and provide curb- and street-marking lines therefor. Parking meters shall be placed upon the curb in relation to the individual parking spaces or, in the case of a so-called "multi-space" parking meter, shall be placed at a designated location to be controlled by said multi-space parking meter, and shall be constructed so as to show the limit of legal parking upon deposit of payment and to provide some signal, ticket or some other mechanical device showing the expiration of said parking.
[Amended 4-12-2017 by Ord. No. 2017.03.22-004; 11-8-2017 by Ord. No. 2017.10.25; 2-14-2018 by Ord. No. 2018.01.10; 10-10-2018 by Ord. No. 2018.09.26-010; 7-24-2019 by Ord. No. 2019.07.10-11; 12-9-2020 by Ord. No. 2020.11.18-014; 7-14-2021 by Ord. No. 2021.06.23-005; 11-10-2021 by Ord. No. 2021.10.13-009; 12-8-2021 by Ord. No. 2021.11.10-011; 2-14-2024 by Ord. No. 2023.12.13-17; 2-20-2024 by Ord. No. 2024.04.24; 10-9-2024 by Ord. No. 2024.09.11-7]
A. 
Paid parking shall be required daily between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., except on Sundays, with the exception of:
(1) 
The Orchard Street Parking Garage where designated as metered or paid parking shall also be required as paid parking at all times, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
(2) 
The following holidays: January 1; the third Monday in January, known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Day; the third Monday in February, known as Washington's Birthday; the last Monday in May, known as Memorial Day, or on a date to coincide with the federal observance if it is held on a different day; July 4; the first Monday in September, known as Labor Day; the second Monday in October, known by state law as Columbus Day; November 11, known as Veterans Day; Thanksgiving Day; the Friday after Thanksgiving; and Christmas Day. When one of the listed holidays falls on a Sunday, the Monday after shall be observed as a holiday.
(3) 
Any vehicle bearing the following special New Hampshire license plates and in use by the person qualifying for said special plates shall be entitled to free parking in metered spaces for no more than three hours each day: Purple Heart (including Purple Heart-Vanity), Gold Star, Prisoner of War, and Pearl Harbor Survivor (including Pearl Harbor Survivor-Vanity). Any vehicle bearing a New Hampshire Veteran or Veteran-Vanity license plates and in use by the person qualifying for said special plates shall be entitled to free parking in metered spaces in the Orchard Street Parking Garage and the Fourth Street Parking Lot for no more than three hours each day. Any vehicle with license plates from another state or United States territory bearing substantially equivalent governmental license plates shall, provided the vehicle is in use by the person qualifying for said special license plates, likewise be entitled to no more than three hours each day of free parking in metered spaces. This exemption does not apply to parking spaces designated for electric vehicle charging.
(4) 
The Dover Transportation Center Parking Lot where designated as metered or paid parking shall also be required as paid parking at all times, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
B. 
Parking meter rates shall be set forth in the annual Fee Schedule adopted by the City Council.
C. 
For good cause, the Chief of Police, upon recommendation of the Parking Commission, shall have the authority to temporarily suspend the provisions of this section for specified dates and times.
D. 
Free parking permitted for persons with a walking disability under RSA 265:74 shall be limited to a maximum of three hours. Free parking under this paragraph does not apply to parking spaces designated for electric vehicle charging where full payment is required.
[Amended 8-24-2015 by Ord. No. 2015.07.08-014; 11-11-2015 by Ord. No. 2015.10.28-024; 4-12-2017 by Ord. No. 2017.03.22-004; 10-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017.09.27; 2-12-2020 by Ord. No. 2020.01.08-001; 7-22-2020 by Ord. No. 2020.07.08-005; 12-8-2021 by Ord. No. 2021.11.10-011; 9-28-2022 by Ord. No. 2022.09.14-011; 2-14-2024 by Ord. No. 2024.01.24-1; 10-9-2024 by Ord. No. 2024.09.11-7]
A. 
The following shall be considered violations of this article:
(1) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to park or allow any vehicle registered in their name to be parked in a parking meter zone so that the vehicle is not entirely within the area designated or delineated by lines or markings.
(2) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to park or allow any vehicle registered in their name to be parked in excess of 19 feet in overall length in a multi-space parking meter zone except as provided in § 141-32.
(3) 
Multi-space parking meters.
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to park or allow any vehicle registered in their name to be parked or left standing in any area where parking is controlled by a multi-space parking meter:
[1] 
Without purchasing a timed parking session from said multi-space parking meter for such parking or standing time, which timed parking sessions shall only authorize the specific vehicle and license plate entered into the meter to use and occupy the parking.
[2] 
For parking areas in the City that lack any form of pay-by-plate meters or capabilities, without displaying any receipt so purchased from a multi-space parking meter in a position on the dashboard of the vehicle in order that the time printed on said receipt is clearly visible from outside the vehicle. This subsection shall not apply to metered parking garages or other metered areas when the proper space number is entered into the pay-by-space parking meter or pay-by-plate meters or capabilities.
[3] 
After parking or standing time which has been purchased has expired.
[4] 
For parking areas that require the use of displayed receipts, displaying an altered or falsified receipt or any receipt that has not been purchased from the multi-space parking meter controlling the parking space in which the vehicle displaying the receipt is parked. Violators will be subject to Table B fines under § 141-23 as set forth in the Fine Schedule as adopted by City Council.
[5] 
In excess of the posted time limits.
[6] 
For the Dover Transportation Center Parking Lot, failing over a period of five consecutive calendar days to park in an area specifically designated by the Chief of Police for such parking.
(b) 
Exception. No multi-space parking meter receipt is required for a vehicle parked in a parking meter zone for less than 15 minutes; this exception does not apply to metered parking lots or a metered parking garage.
(c) 
Each violation of the acts described in Subsection A(3)(a)[1] to [5] shall constitute a separate violation and additional violation.
(d) 
Use of a pay-by-plate application to pay for parking is permitted notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A(3)(a)[1] under the following conditions:
[1] 
The pay-by-plate application is authorized for use in the City of Dover by the Chief of Police or designee.
[2] 
The pay-by-plate application is activated for the proper zone the vehicle is parked in.
[3] 
The fee has been paid for the specific vehicle and license plate using or occupying the parking.
(4) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to park or allow any vehicle registered in their name to remain parked in a parking meter zone when time purchased on the parking meter for that vehicle and plate number has expired, except as provided in § 141-30.
(5) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to park or allow any vehicle registered in their name to be parked or left standing on any public highway or part of a public highway within the City in a parking meter zone without conforming to the provisions of this article.
(6) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to park in a metered on-street parking space without purchasing a parking session for the specific vehicle and plate number occupying the parking, or with a receipt from a multi-space parking meter in a metered parking lot or a metered parking garage.
(7) 
The City’s print-at-home permit program provides permits specific to the single vehicle associated with each such permit. It shall be unlawful for any person to forge, falsify, or print multiple copies of print-at-home permits for use by others, or in any other way assist, facilitate, aid, or abet the use of a print-at-home permit by or for any other vehicle other than the permitted vehicle. Violators will be subject to Table B fines under § 141-23 as set forth in the Fine Schedule as adopted by City Council.
B. 
Where a violation of this article is found, each additional one hour that a vehicle is so parked in violation shall constitute a separate additional violation.
C. 
The previous provisions of this article shall not apply to City-owned vehicles or to persons who are disabled and have obtained permission to park from the Chief of Police.
D. 
Chronic offenders. Any person with five violations of any subsection of § 141-31A(3), (4) or (6) in a calendar year for any metered parking space shall be fined as set forth in the Fine Schedule as adopted by City Council for each subsequent offense. If the chronic offender fine is not paid within 10 days, a new fine shall accrue as set forth in the Fine Schedule. If the chronic offender fine is not paid within 14 days after final notice, then a new fine shall be imposed as set forth in the Fine Schedule.
E. 
Displaying an altered or falsified parking permit, or parts thereof. Violations will be subject to a fine as set forth in the Fine Schedule as adopted by City Council. The violator’s permit may also be revoked and no refund will be issued.
[Amended 10-11-2017 by Ord. No. 2017.09.27]
Vehicles over 19 feet in overall length, with permission of the Chief of Police, or designee, may stop and unload merchandise in a multi-space parking meter zone, but under no circumstances shall any vehicle obstruct or impede the free flow of traffic.
[Amended 7-22-2020 by Ord. No. 2020.07.08-005]
A. 
The Chief of Police, or designee, may permit plumbers, electricians, or other such workers or contractors to reserve a parking space(s) upon payment of a fee established in the Schedule of Fees adopted by City Council, provided that it is essential for work being done in the immediate area.
B. 
In addition to the fee referenced in the paragraph (A) above, contractors shall also be required to pay any metered parking fees, per space, in effect in that location.
C. 
Contractors not needing a space reserved shall only be responsible for the metered parking fees, per space, in effect in that location.
D. 
Fees established in the Schedule of Fees for non-metered spaces are per space.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 141-34, Time limits, added 4-22-2015 by Ord. No. 2015.04.22-011, as amended, was repealed 7-22-2020 by Ord. No. 2020.07.08-005.
The provisions of RSA 231:130-a, Notification of Unpaid Fines, are hereby adopted by the City of Dover, New Hampshire.
A. 
Pursuant to the adoption of RSA 231:130-a, the Tax Collector shall:
(1) 
Maintain a record in the office of the Tax Collector which shall contain a listing of all residents of the City of Dover who have outstanding parking violations incurred in municipalities that have adopted the provisions of this section.
(2) 
Notify the Town or City Clerk of any other municipality that has adopted the provisions of this section of any outstanding parking violations incurred by residents of such municipality within the limits of the notifying municipality.
(3) 
Notify the Town or City Clerk of any municipality that has adopted the provisions of this section of the payment of any outstanding parking violations incurred by residents of such municipality within the limits of the notifying municipality. Such action shall be taken within 10 days of the payment of the outstanding violation.
B. 
The Tax Collector shall update and keep readily available the records required by RSA 231:30-a, I(a), in order that such records may be consulted at such time as residents of such municipalities apply for permits for the registration of vehicles pursuant to RSA 261:148.
C. 
Furthermore, no resident in the City of Dover shall be allowed to register a vehicle until all outstanding parking violations have been paid to the City of Dover or to any other municipality that has adopted the provisions of RSA 231:130-a.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 141-37, In-vehicle parking meters, as amended 7-22-2020 by Ord. No. 2020.07.08-005, was repealed 10-11-2023 by Ord. No. 2023.09.27-11.