Chapter 8.88
SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL
Sections:
8.88.010 Duty of owner or occupant to remove snow from sidewalks—Legislative policy.
8.88.020 Duty of owner or occupant to remove snow from sidewalks—Requirements.
8.88.060 Prohibited parking after snowfall.
8.88.070 Ticketing and towing vehicles.
8.88.010 Duty of owner or occupant to remove snow from sidewalks—Legislative policy.
Accumulations of snow and ice on public sidewalks within the city are detrimental to the public health, convenience, safety and welfare of the citizens of the city of Yakima and to visitors to the city during the winter months. It is reasonable and necessary that persons owning and occupying premises adjacent to sidewalks make all reasonable efforts to clear the sidewalks which they control of snow and ice in a prudent fashion so that those public rights-of-way remain accessible and safe for their intended public use. This chapter is for the benefit of the general public and no specific duty to particular persons is created hereby. (Ord. 2014-012 § 1 (part), 2014: Ord. 93-30 § 1, 1993: Ord. A-824 § 1, 1924).
8.88.020 Duty of owner or occupant to remove snow from sidewalks—Requirements.
Every owner or occupant of any property located within the city which is adjacent to a public sidewalk shall be responsible for the removal of snow and ice which may fall or accumulate on the sidewalks immediately adjacent to the primary entrance of said property. Said owner or occupant shall make a reasonable effort to have the sidewalks immediately adjacent to the primary entrance of said property cleared of snow and ice by nine a.m. of every day after snowfall. In the event snow and ice accumulates so that it is not practical to remove, said owner or occupant shall provide for the dispersal of sand or other suitable material upon said sidewalk in order to allow the use of said sidewalk in a reasonably safe manner; provided, it shall be deemed a civil infraction punishable as set forth in YMC 8.88.030 to place snow and/or ice removed from sidewalk areas into the public rights-of-way, alleys, city streets, pathways or thoroughfares; provided further, that an owner or occupant of any property shall not be in violation of this section if such owner or occupant has in full force and effect a written agreement with some other person or legal entity who, by the terms of such agreement, is obligated to perform the duties of this section. (Ord. 2014-012 § 1 (part), 2014: Ord. 2005‑73 § 1, 2005: Ord. 93-30 § 2, 1993: Ord. A-824 § 2, 1924).
8.88.030 Violation—Penalty.
Any person or corporation who shall violate YMC 8.88.020 shall be deemed to have committed a civil infraction, and shall be a monetary penalty in an amount not to exceed fifty dollars. Each day in which any violation shall continue shall be deemed a separate offense. (Ord. 2014-012 § 1 (part), 2014: Ord. 93-30 § 3, 1993).
8.88.040 Snow alert.
In the event snow has accumulated to three or more inches, the city manager or the manager’s designee may declare a snow alert; until such snow alert is terminated it shall be a civil infraction subject to the penalty set forth in YMC 8.88.030 for the owner or operator of any motor vehicle to park a motor vehicle upon any street, road or avenue within the city that has been designated and posted with signage as a snow route. (Ord. 2014-012 § 1 (part), 2014).
8.88.050 Snow routes.
The purpose of snow routes is to allow the city unhindered snow removal operations during and following a snow alert. All snow routes shall be designated and posted with signage by the city and may be revised as the city deems necessary. (Ord. 2014-012 § 1 (part), 2014).
8.88.060 Prohibited parking after snowfall.
Parking vehicles upon streets designated and posted with signage as snow routes shall be prohibited when the snow alert ordinance has been placed into effect. Parking on snow routes is prohibited from the time the snow alert ordinance goes into effect until the snow has ceased to fall and the snow removal operations have been completed for the entire width of the snow route. (Ord. 2014-012 § 1 (part), 2014).
8.88.070 Ticketing and towing vehicles.
Vehicles parked in violation of the snow alert ordinance shall be cited and removed to prevent safety hazards associated with incomplete snow removal. Law enforcement officers, parking enforcement officers, codes, and/or anyone commissioned by the chief of police shall be authorized to cite any vehicle parked in a street designated and posted as a snow route when the snow alert ordinance is in effect and to have said vehicles relocated or removed by city tow or any commercial towing service. Vehicles towed away for illegally parking in a snow route during a snow alert may be stored in a place designated by the Yakima police department. In the event a vehicle is relocated, a relocation fee shall apply in addition to the cost of the issued citation. In addition to the cost of the issued citation, in the event the car is towed, the costs for towing shall be assessed to and paid by the operator or registered owner of the vehicle, prior to the vehicle being released and returned to the operator or registered owner of said vehicle. (Ord. 2014-012 § 1 (part), 2014).