(A) Finding. The City Council finds that parking and operation of vehicles on streets of the city covered by a heavy accumulation of snow is a matter affecting the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the city for the reason that parked and stalled vehicles impede snow removal operations and cause serious traffic congestion and hazard.
(B) Declaration of snow emergency. Whenever snow has accumulated or there is a possibility that snow will accumulate to such a depth that snow removal operations will be required, the Mayor, or in the absence of the Mayor, the City Clerk/Treasurer, may declare a snow emergency and, until such snow emergency is terminated, it shall be unlawful to:
(1) Park a vehicle on any street within the corporate limits of the city; or
(2) Operate a motor vehicle on any street within the corporate limits in such a manner or condition that such motor vehicle stalls or is otherwise unable to proceed.
(C) Notice of snow emergency; termination. Upon declaring a snow emergency, the Mayor shall forthwith cause appropriate notice thereof to be given through the local press, radio, or other appropriate media. The snow emergency shall be terminated by notice given substantially in the same manner as the snow emergency was declared.
(D) Removal of parked vehicles. Any vehicle parked on a street within the corporate limits must be removed from the street within two hours after notice of a snow emergency has been given. Any vehicle parked on a street within the corporate limits of the city after such period of the time may be removed or cause to be removed by the Sheriff or the Utility Superintendent of the city to the nearest garage or other place of safety, and the vehicle may not be recovered until the towing and any storage charges are paid.
(Prior Code, § 70.04) (Ord. 2005-5.1, passed 7-11-2005) Penalty, see § 10.99