WATERVILLE — Police officers issued 30 parking tickets early Tuesday morning to car owners in violation of the winter parking ban.

The ban — an ordinance that makes it illegal to park a vehicle between midnight and 6 a.m. on a street or in a school or municipal parking lot — went into effect Dec. 1 and continues until April 1.

Although the ban has been in effect for several days, Tuesday morning marked the first widespread effort by the police department to enforce it. Waterville Police Sgt. Alan Main said there wasn’t a grace period for car owners during the early days of December. Rather, “manpower issues” prevented police from taking action sooner.

Violators of the ban Tuesday were issued $10 tickets. Second-time offenders will be issued $25 tickets, the maximum fine.

Main said ample overnight parking exists for car owners who don’t have access to driveways, garages or lawns. Parking is allowed in the municipal parking lot at Head of Falls off Front Street.

Parking is also allowed at the Concourse parking lot, except during snow events, Main said.

“The city will post signs by the (Concourse) entrances when they’re going to be doing snow removal,” he said.

Two weeks before the Dec. 1 start of the parking ban, police officers posted about 100 flyers on car windshields to help get the word out, Main said.

Ben McCanna — 861-9239

bmccanna@centralmaine.com