Gary, IN Parking Rules: Preferential Parking Districts (2026)

Section 40-358(a) lets the lawful residents of a residential area petition the board of public works and safety to restrict public street parking to residents only, forming a residential parking zone; the petition must carry signatures from two-thirds of the area's lawful residents and describe the zone's boundaries and the need for the restriction. Under 40-358(b) and (c), the bureau of traffic and lighting studies the area's proximity to industrial, commercial or public facilities and vehicle counts, and can only recommend a restriction where non-resident vehicles exceed 25 percent of available street spaces and total occupancy exceeds 75 percent of those spaces; the recommendation can be limited to specific streets or times of day.

The board of public works and safety then designates the zone under 40-358(d), filing the designation with its clerk. Section 40-359 requires any vehicle parked in a designated zone to display a residential parking decal issued by the board, available to any lawful resident, with a limit of three decals per family. Section 40-360 makes clear that once signs are erected, a vehicle parked in the zone without a valid decal may be ticketed or towed at the owner's expense. A named example already exists in the code: Section 40-361 designates the 3500 and 3600 blocks of Washington, Adams and Jefferson Streets as a residential-only parking area with its own decal and signage requirements, run through the police department rather than the board of public works.