(A) At times when the forecast or actual snowfall creates an emergency situation requiring the immediate plowing, salting, sanding, or other clearing of snow, ice or other precipitation from the public ways of the city, the Mayor is authorized and empowered to declare a snow emergency upon recommendation of either the Public Works Director or the Police Chief.
(B) Upon the declaration of any snow emergency the Mayor shall give notice to the highest ranking officer of the Police Department on duty at the time the emergency is declared. The officer shall, as soon as possible, notify local radio stations, television stations, newspapers, and other such media outlets as will, in the judgment of the officer, afford the earliest and best information to persons using the public ways of the city of the existence of the snow emergency. In notifying those entities identified herein, the officer shall request that the notice of the snow emergency and the requirement thereof be broadcast or published as soon as possible. No other notices shall be required.
(C) A snow emergency shall expire 24 hours after it is declared. The Mayor may declare a new snow emergency to commence immediately upon expiration of an existing snow emergency by giving notice as provided in division (B).
(D) During the existence of any snow emergency it shall be a violation for any person, firm, corporation or other entity to leave parked any motor vehicle on any public way of the city so as to hinder or interfere with the plowing, salting, sanding, or other clearing of snow from any public way.
(E) During a snow emergency, the Police Department is authorized to:
(1) Remove or have remove vehicles from any public way of the city utilizing such service (towing and storage) as are appropriate and customary. Payment of the cost for such removal and storage shall be the responsibility of the vehicle owner(s), shall be assessed at the established rate of the towing/storage provided on the day the service is rendered, and shall constitute a lien on the vehicle which may be enforced in the same manner as a garage keeper’s lien in accordance with the provisions of the Kentucky Revised Statute.
(2) Issue a citation for a violation of this section. Every person convicted of a violation of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of $50.
(F) In any prosecution with regard to a vehicle parked in violation of this chapter, proof that the vehicle described in the complaint was parked or left in violation of a provision of this chapter, 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 chapter.
(G) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to permit parking at any time or place where it is forbidden by any other provision of law.
(Ord. 2004-19, passed 1-10-05)
Cross-reference:
Plowing snow into city streets, see § 91.35