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All metered parking spots in town have been changed to free three-hour parking until January, city manager Terence Reidy said today.

Metered spots line the beach front and the downtown area, and meters were first installed to provide a combination of revenue generation and parking management, Reidy said. The city is opting for three-hour parking instead of unrestricted parking in order to keep managing parking, Reidy said.

“Typically, around this time of year, we allow free parking for the holiday season anyway, but that begins the challenge of if we allow free parking, what’s to stop people from parking [in one spot] 24/7,” Reidy said.

The move was motivated in part by Hurricane Sandy, Reidy said. Normally, the city would wait until Thanksgiving to institute free parking for the holiday.

“It’s part of letting people know they can come to town and not be hassled,” Reidy said.

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