(a) "Snow emergency" means a period of time declared by the Mayor or his/her designee, including but not limited to when the United States Weather Bureau records that two inches of snow has fallen and that there is a prospect of additional snow, or when ice has accumulated to the extent that it is impairing the safe movement of vehicular traffic within the Municipality, and when special parking restrictions are in effect because of these weather conditions.
(b) The Mayor or his/her designee is authorized to declare a snow emergency whenever he deems it reasonable to do so or when the United States Weather Bureau has recorded two inches of snowfall and there is a prospect of additional snow or when ice has accumulated to the extent that it is impairing the safe movement of vehicular traffic within the Municipality. The emergency shall exist from the time it is formally announced until the time it is formally cancelled.
(c) Whenever a snow emergency is declared, the Mayor shall request the local news media to announce the snow emergency and the time of declaration. Owners and operators of motor vehicles shall be deemed to have notice of the snow emergency two hours after the official announcement and are then subject to the provisions of this chapter. Cancellation shall be affected in the same manner.
(d) Whenever a snow emergency is in effect, parking shall be prohibited during the snow emergency on that side of the street with even-numbered house numbers. However, vehicles may be parked no longer than three minutes for actual loading and unloading of passengers. Any motor vehicle found parked or standing in those prohibited areas during a snow emergency may be removed by order of the police.
(e) The owner or operator of a motor vehicle found in violation of division (d) of this section shall be responsible for all towing and storage costs for such vehicle towed during the snow emergency, as well as all other sanctions or penalties noted in this section.
(f) Whenever snow has accumulated to a depth of eight inches or more or when ice has accumulated to the extent that it is impairing the safe movement of vehicular traffic within the Municipality, the Mayor is authorized to declare a snow clean-up emergency, street by street or block by block, as he or she deems necessary or as recommended by the Manager.
(g) When a snow clean-up emergency is in effect, all parking on such public streets shall be banned. The police shall attempt to provide written or oral notice of such a ban to each resident on each street affected. If severe conditions exist, notice given by a loudspeaker system on a police vehicle or other public vehicle may be deemed as oral notice.
(h) The parking ban shall become effective one hour after notice or attempted notice and shall remain in effect until the clean-up of the street has been completed. The snow clean-up emergency parking ban shall not remain in effect for a period of more than eight hours on any street in a 24-hour period.
(i) Any motor vehicle found parked or standing in these prohibited areas during a snow clean-up emergency parking ban shall be removed by order of the police, and the owner or operator of such vehicle shall be responsible for all towing and storage costs for such vehicle towed during the snow clean-up emergency, in addition to the other sanctions or penalties noted in this section.
(j) Whoever violates any provision of this section shall, in addition to being responsible for all towing and storage costs, as previously noted, be guilty of a minor misdemeanor for a first offense. For a second offense within one year after the first offense, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. For each subsequent offense within one year after the first offense, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(Ord. 85-73. Passed 10-15-85; Ord. 2008-61. Passed 10-21-08.)