New parking rules go into effect in Whitefish beginning Oct. 1.

The city of Whitefish is implementing a new road maintenance schedule that requires vehicles to park on alternative sides of the street depending on the date.

Cars are required to park on the even house-numbered sides of the street on even number calendar days, and the odd house-numbered sides of the street on odd number calendar days. The new regulations run from Oct. 1 to April 30 of each year.

The goal, the city Public Works Department says, is to improve maintenance by allowing snowplows to reach the curb without parked cars impeding their progress.

City Council in August approved the change to parking regulations.

Under the new rule, if a person parks at 6 p.m. on Dec. 3 and does not plan to move the vehicle until the next morning, the person would park on the even side of the street because it will be Dec. 4 after 5 a.m. and the alternate-side parking will go into effect before the person plans to move the vehicle.

The parking rules do not apply to streets where alternate-side parking is not available, such as cul-de-sacs, or a street where no parking is allowed on one or both sides of the street.

Previously, Whitefish required that vehicles be removed from roadways running east and west — primarily streets — in the morning, and north and south — primarily avenues — in the afternoon.

In the downtown area there is no parking from 2:30 a.m. to 6 a.m.

Under city ordinance, any vehicle parked where it’s not allowed can be towed at the owner’s expense.