CAMDEN — Nobody but the ski resorts are complaining yet about the delay in Maine’s traditional early start to cold winter weather, but a lack of snow has not delayed the calendar from marching forward. And that means overnight parking bans are now in effect in Maine towns near and far.

Camden Police issued a reminder Dec. 9 that the town’s overnight parking ban went into effect Nov. 1. Running through April 1, parking restrictions include a ban on leaving vehicles for more than 30 minutes on any Camden street between the hours of 1 and 5 a.m. A violation can earn the registered owner a $30 parking ticket. If the parked vehicle is impeding and interfering with snow removal, it is subject to towing at the owner’s expense.

According to Chief Randy Gagne, they have delayed enforcement of the ban so far due to the unseasonably warm weather.

“But with winter undoubtedly sure to make an appearance it is now necessary to implement enforcement,” he said in an email Wednesday morning.

Following is Camden’s ordinance regarding winter parking:

13.4 All-Night Parking Prohibited Chapter 8 Police Ordinance 08/19/10 page 83
• From November 1 until April 1, no person shall park a vehicle on any street or public parking lot for a period of time longer than thirty (30) minutes between the hours of 1:00 am and 5:00 am of any day, except physicians and other medical personnel on emergency calls, firefighters on emergency calls, and other Town employees, including highway department personnel, in connection with their official duties. The Police Department is granted authority to authorize overnight parking in the ten (10) rear spaces in the Washington Street Parking Lot, on the condition that the vehicles so authorized will be removed the next day so that snow clearing operations can take place.
• In addition, the Town designates the three parking spaces on the west side of Washington Street adjacent to the Camden Opera House building so that there shall be no parking in those spaces from 1:00 am to 6:00 am of every day. Those spaces shall be specifically identified as a "tow-away zone" during that time of prohibited parking.
• Adopted by the Camden Selectmen May 1, 1995. Amended January 2, 1996.