ARTICLE VI. SNOW EMERGENCY ROUTES
114-186 Definitions.
As used in this article:
Director means the person or, in his absence, his duly designated and acting representative, designated by the Mayor as the Director of Public Works.
Second priority streets means all streets not designated snow emergency routes.
Snow emergency means any occurrence of three inches of snowfall or more within a 24-hour period, as recorded by the U.S. Weather Bureau.
Snow emergency routes means those streets designated by the Public Works and Services Department and marked as such. These streets will be considered first priority streets for the purpose of this article.
(Code 1985, § 26-184; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20)
114-187 Declaration of snow emergency.
(a) A snow emergency shall be declared by the Director of Public Works as set forth herein by posting on the City website and in the City Clerk’s office.
(b) Upon the declaration of a snow emergency, the Director of Public Works shall direct that all City local streets be plowed within a reasonable amount of time.
(c) If appropriate weather conditions exist, the Director of Public Works shall direct that all City local streets be salted within a reasonable amount of time.
(Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20)
114-188 Parking on snow emergency routes restricted.
(a) Parking on snow emergency routes shall be prohibited under the following conditions: Whenever the Director finds, on the basis of falling snow, sleet, or freezing rain, or on the basis of a forecast by the U.S. Weather Bureau or other weather service of snow, sleet or freezing rain, that weather conditions will make it necessary that parking on City streets be prohibited or restricted for snowplowing or other purposes, the Director shall cause to be put in effect a parking prohibition on parts of or all snow emergency routes as necessary by declaring it in a manner prescribed by this article.
(b) Once in effect, a prohibition under this section shall remain in effect until terminated by announcement of the Director in accordance with this article, except that any street area which has become clear of snow and ice from curb to curb for a length thereof lying between two successive street intersections shall be automatically excluded therefrom. While the prohibition is in effect, no person shall park or allow to remain parked any vehicle on any portion of a snow emergency route to which it applies.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit parking at any time or place where it is forbidden by any other provision of law.
(Code 1985, § 26-185; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-187)
114-189 Parking on second priority streets.
(a) Whenever the Director finds, on the basis of falling snow, sleet, freezing rain, or on the basis of a forecast by the U.S. Weather Bureau or other weather service of snow, sleet, or freezing rain, that weather conditions will make it necessary that parking on City streets be prohibited or restricted for snow plowing and other purposes, the Director shall cause to be put into effect a parking prohibition on parts of or all second priority streets between the hours of 12:01 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. in a manner prescribed below:
(1) On days having uneven dates vehicles are prohibited from parking on the side of the street having uneven street numbers.
(2) On days having even dates, vehicles are prohibited from parking on the side of the street having even street numbers.
(b) The prohibition shall remain in effect until terminated by announcement of the Director in accordance with this article or until any street area has been substantially clear of snow and ice from curb or median line for the length thereof lying between two successive street intersections on any street to which it applies.
(Code 1985, § 26-186; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-188)
114-190 Announcement of parking prohibition.
(a) The Director shall cause each declaration made by him pursuant to this article to be publicly announced by means of broadcasts and/or telecasts from station(s) with a normal operating range covering the City. He may cause such declaration to be further announced in newspapers of general circulation when feasible. Each announcement shall describe the action taken by the Director including the time it became or will become effective, and shall specify the streets or areas affected, except as otherwise provided in section 114-188(b).
(b) The Director shall make or cause to be made a record of each time and date when any declaration is announced to the public in accordance with this section.
(Code 1985, § 26-187; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-189)
114-191 Termination of parking restrictions.
Whenever the Director shall find that some or all of the conditions which gave rise to a parking prohibition in effect pursuant to this article no longer exist, he may declare this prohibition terminated.
(Code 1985, § 26-188; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-190)
114-192 Erection of signs on snow emergency routes.
On each street designated as a snow emergency route, the Public Works and Services Department shall erect signs plainly marking such routes and sufficient in number to apprise the ordinarily observant person that such street or highway is a snow emergency route.
(Code 1985, § 26-189; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-191)
114-193 Removal of disabled vehicle.
(a) Whenever a vehicle becomes disabled for any reason on any part of a snow emergency route on which there is a covering of snow, sleet or ice or on which there is a parking prohibition in effect, the person operating such vehicle shall take immediate action to have the vehicle towed or pushed off the roadway of such snow emergency route.
(b) No person shall abandon or leave a vehicle in the roadway of a snow emergency route, regardless of whether indicated by a raised hood or otherwise, that the vehicle is disabled, except for the purpose of securing assistance during the actual time necessary to go to a nearby telephone or to a nearby garage, gasoline station, or other place of assistance and return without delay.
(Code 1985, § 26-190; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-192)
114-194 Removal, impounding and return of vehicles.
(a) Members of the Police Department are authorized to remove or have removed a vehicle from a street to the nearest garage or other place of safety (including but not limited to another place on a street), or to a garage designated or maintained by the Police Department, or otherwise maintained by this City, when:
(1) The vehicle is parked on a part of a snow emergency route on which a parking prohibition is in effect.
(2) The vehicle is stalled on a part of a snow emergency route on which there is a covering of snow, sleet, or ice or on which there is a parking prohibition in effect and the person who was operating such vehicle does not appear to be removing it in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(3) The vehicle is parked in violation of any parking ordinance or provision of law and is interfering or about to interfere with snow removal operations.
(b) No person shall recover any vehicle impounded in accordance with this section except as provided herein. Before the owner or person in charge of such vehicle shall be allowed to recover it from the place where it has been impounded, he shall present to a member of the Police Department evidence of his identity and right to possession of the vehicle, shall sign a receipt for its return, shall pay the cost of removal and storage.
(c) It shall be the duty of the Police Department to keep a record of each vehicle impounded in accordance with this section. The record shall include a description of the vehicle, its license number, the date and time of its removal, where it was removed from, its location, the name and address of its owner and last operator, if known, its final disposition, and the parking violation involved.
(d) This section shall be supplemented by any other provision of law granting members of the Police Department authority to remove vehicles.
(Code 1985, § 26-191; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-193)
114-195 Citation of vehicle parked or left in violation of article.
Whenever any motor vehicle without a driver is found parked or left in violation of any provision of this article, and is not removed and impounded as provided for in section 114-194, the officer finding such vehicle shall take its registration number and any other information displayed on the vehicle which may identify its user, and shall conspicuously affix to such vehicle a traffic citation for the driver to answer to the charge against him within the time limit and during the hours and at a place specified in the citation.
(Code 1985, § 26-192; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-194)
114-196 Failure to respond to citation.
If such owner or operator does not appear in response to a traffic citation affixed to such motor vehicle in accordance with section 114-195, the Parking Violations Bureau shall send the owner of the motor vehicle to which the traffic citation was affixed a letter informing him of the violation and warning him that in the event such letter is disregarded for a period of ten days a warrant of arrest will be issued.
(Code 1985, § 26-193; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-195)
114-197 Responsibility of owner for violations.
In any prosecution with regard to a vehicle parked or left in a place or in a condition in violation of any provision of this article, proof that the particular vehicle described in the complaint was parked or left in violation of a provision of this article, together with proof that the defendant named in the complaint was at the time the registered owner of such vehicle, shall constitute prima facie evidence that the defendant was the person who parked or left the vehicle in violation of this article.
(Code 1985, § 26-194; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-196)
114-198 Precedence over conflicting laws.
Any provision of this article, while temporarily in effect, shall take precedence over other conflicting provisions of law normally in effect, except that it shall not take precedence over other provisions of law relating to traffic accidents, emergency travel of authorized vehicles, or emergency traffic directions by a police officer.
(Code 1985, § 26-195; Ord. No. 2374, 5-12-20. Formerly 114-197)