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1. I received a parking ticket, where do I address it?

If you received a parking ticket, you must respond to the Parking Clerk within 21 days of the violation. Enclose the parking ticket with your payment, or include your license plate and the violation number to assure proper credit. You may also request an appeal. You may mail a check or money order payable to:

Parking Clerk, City of Easthampton
50 Payson Avenue
Easthampton, MA, 01027.

Unpaid Citations

If not paid within 21 days after date of violation, but thereafter paid before the Parking Clerk reports to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles the non-payment of this ticket, the penalty shall be $10 plus the original fine. If paid after the Registrar has been notified, the penalty shall be $40 plus the original fine.

2. I received a city ordinance citation, where do I address it?

If you received a non-criminal city ordinance citation, you have options in this matter. Either option will operate as a final disposition, with no resulting criminal record:

• Option 1: You may elect to pay the fine, either by appearing in person between 1 pm and 4 pm. Monday through Thursday, before the City Clerk or by mailing a check, money order or postal note to the City Clerk within 21 days of the citation's date of issuance. If mailed, please enclose a copy of the citation with your payment to the following address:
  Easthampton City Clerk
  50 Payson Avenue
  Easthampton, MA, 01027
• Option 2: f you desire to contest this matter in a non-criminal proceeding, you may do so by making a written request and enclosing a copy of the citation within 21 days of the citation's date of issuance. Address your request to:
  Clerk magistrate, Northampton District Court
  ATTN: 21D Non-Criminal Hearings
  15 Gothic Street
  Northampton, MA 01060

Failure to Pay or Appear

If you fail to pay the fine or appear as specified, a criminal complaint may be issued against you.

3. What are the winter parking regulations in the City of Easthampton?

City bylaws prohibit the parking of motor vehicles on a public way between the hours of 1 am and 6 am from November 1st to April 1st. During a declared parking ban for a winter storm, no on-street parking is allowed. Vehicles parked in violation of the parking ban will be ticketed and may be towed, at the owner's expense, if they interfere with the removal or the plowing of snow. Please make arrangements to park your vehicle off the street during the winter months.

4. What are the winter parking regulations for public parking lots?

During a declared parking ban when the Department of Public Works is plowing or removing snow, the city prohibits parking in municipal lots between 5 am and 7 am. Not adhering to these parking rules will impede snow removal operations, and owners may be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense.

5. What are the regulations regarding snow and ice removal on sidewalks?

Citing Easthampton city ordinance section 8-41:

1. The tenant, occupant or owner of any estate abutting on any street, highway or city way in the city and where there now is or hereafter may be, a sidewalk constructed of or covered with concrete, brick, cement, stone, wood or any other material than earth, ashes or gravel, shall within twelve (12) hours after ceasing to fall, form or drift thereon, of any snow, sleet or ice, remove or cause to be removed such snow, sleet or ice there from so far as it can be removed and if the same cannot be wholly removed, shall sprinkle, or cause to be sprinkled thereon sand, ashes, sawdust or other suitable substance so that such sidewalk shall not be slippery and shall be safe and convenient for public travel. The duty of enforcing the provisions of this and the following section shall devolve upon the police department.
2. When the estate so abutting on a street shall be occupied by more than one tenant or by separate families or when the estate so abutting is not occupied by anyone, the owner or agent having charge of such premises shall cause the snow, ice or sleet to be removed or sand or other substance to be sprinkled thereon as above provided.
3. Owners or agents having charge of property that abuts city sidewalks who fail to remove snow, sleet or ice or sprinkle sand or other substances as provided in Sec. 8-41(a) shall be subject to a fine of:
   1. $50 for the first offense.
   2. $50 for the second offense occurring within three months of the first offense.
   3. Upon the third offense occurring within three months of the first offense, the city's Department of Public Works shall clear the sidewalk. The cost of $150/hour for labor and materials incurred by the city for said clearing shall be billed to the owners or agent having charge of the property by the city Assessors pursuant to the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 85, Section 6. If said charges are not paid within 30 days of the issuance of the bill by the Assessors, said costs will be assessed and collected in accordance with the provisions of General Laws Chapter 80, pertaining to betterment assessments.

Paying Citations

All fines are payable to the City of Easthampton and payable to the City Clerk within 30 days of the date of the citation, unless otherwise stated on the citation. Any owner or agent fined in accordance with the provisions of this section shall have a right of appeals to the City Council Public Safety Committee, said appeal to be taken no later than 60 days after the citation was issued. Appeals may be taken by written request to the City Council Public Safety Committee, addressed to the City Clerk, and sent via first class mail, postage prepaid.

6. How many unregistered vehicles are allowed on premises?

Citing Easthampton city ordinance section 6-1:

1. The keeping of more than one unregistered vehicle assembled or disassembled, except by a person licensed under General Law, Chapter 140, Section 59, on any premises shall be unlawful unless the motor vehicle is stored in an enclosed building or otherwise out of sight of all abutters and public ways.
2. This section shall not apply to motor vehicles which are designed and used for farming, industrial and construction purposes.
3. Whoever violates any provisions of this section shall be subject to a penalty of $50 and $10 per day for each day of violation, commencing ten days following date of receipt of written notice from the Mayor.

7. I was in a car crash, how do I get a copy of the police report?

Where a motor vehicle collision has resulted in personal injury or property damage over $1,000, a police officer will file a Commonwealth of Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Crash Police Report.

The Easthampton Police Department submits the completed motor vehicle crash reports to LexisNexis. Reports are available 5 to 7 business days after an accident on the LexisNexis website.

8. Do I have to file an operator crash report?

Massachusetts General Law Chapter 90 Section 26 requires a person who was operating a motor vehicle involved in a crash in which any person was killed, injured, or in which there was damage in excess of $1,000 to any one vehicle or other property, to complete and file a Crash Operator Report with the Registrar of Motor Vehicles within five days after such crash (unless the person is physically incapable of doing so due to incapacity). The person completing the report must also send a copy of the report to the police department having jurisdiction on the way where the crash occurred.

If the operator is incapacitated but is not the vehicle's owner, the owner is required to file the crash report within the five days based on his/her knowledge and information obtained about the crash. The Registrar may require the owner or operator to supplement the report and he/she can revoke or suspend the license of any person violating any provision of this legal requirement. A police department is required to accept a report filed by an owner or operator whose vehicle has been damaged in a crash in which another person unlawfully left the scene even if damage to the vehicle does not exceed $1,000.

Motor Vehicle Crash Operator Report Instructions (PDF)

9. Does the Easthampton Public Safety Complex have a drug disposal box?

Yes, the Easthampton Police Department is one of several local police agencies where you can find a Medreturn Box for the disposal of unwanted medications. You can access the box by speaking with the dispatcher at the front window of the safety complex.

10. Does the Easthampton Public Safety Complex have a sharps collection box?

Yes, there is a sharps collection drop box located inside the public safety complex. You can access the box by speaking with the dispatcher at the front window of the safety complex.