IMPORTANT: Northeast Harbor Parking Changes

Important Notice for anyone parking in the Cranberry Isles NEH parking lot for the 2023 season.  Please review and understand the changes in how the parking lot will be managed during the 2023 parking season – May 15 to October 15.  If you have been assigned a permit for the Cranberry Isles NEH parking lot for the 2023 summer season-May 15 to October 15, you will receive a notice by mail prior to May 15 and you will need to set up an account in the new on-line parking system.

Go to the link on the Town of Cranberry Isles website:                                                                                                Select: Public Service/Transportation & Parking

OR go directly to the IPS website to register: http://thepermitportal.com and select the agency Bar Harbor/Mount Desert/Cranberry Isles.

There have been changes in how the Northeast Harbor parking lot is being managed.  Cranberry Isles leases the lot from the Town of Mount Desert and TCI has agreed to institute policy changes with respect to how the lot will be managed.  During the reserved parking period starting June 1st the NEH parking lot will still only be available for vehicles that have a valid permit to park in that lot through our usual vetting process.  However, spaces will not be assigned.  With a valid permit you will be able to park in any open parking space.  You are still only entitled to park 1 vehicle there at a time, same as in the past.  With this new policy, stickers are no longer going to be issued for NEH.  However, prior to June 1st you will need to create an account on the IPS on-line system for parking.  This on-line system will allow you to register a vehicle (make, model and license tag) that can be changed as needed by the permit holder if/when different vehicles use your NEH parking lot permit.  You will only be allowed 1 vehicle at a time, and this will be monitored by the Mount Desert Police Dept.  Anytime someone else uses your NEH permit (family, renters, guest) you will need to identify their vehicle in your account as the one using your permit.  As stated above, the system will only allow 1 vehicle at a time.  The Mount Desert Police Dept. will continue monitor the lot, but they will use the license plate as the identifier rather than the window stickers.  There will be 26 spaces marked as “special circumstances parking zone” that will be for anyone who needs a handicap spot or other circumstances related to specific medical needs.  Permits to park in this zone will be handled the same as in the past, through our vetting process, and your account in the IPS system will reflect this.  You’ll need to specify that in the permit portal.  The Town of Mount Desert will be ticketing vehicles that are not permitted in that lot.  Therefore, it will be very important to register any vehicle using your permit before it is parked there at any time from June 1 to October 15.

Please direct any questions to Jim Fortune at the Cranberry Isles Town Office:

james@cranberryisles-me.gov or (207) 244-4475.