Cross Reference: As to snow routes, see Schedule XII.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.010; Ord. No. 5283 § 1, 9-17-1979]
For purposes of this Chapter, the following words shall have the meanings given herein:
CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER
The City Traffic Engineer or, in his/her absence, the City Administrator or the Mayor.
ROADWAY
That portion of a street or highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder.
SECONDARY STREETS
Any streets which are not designated "snow emergency routes."
SNOW EMERGENCY ROUTES
Those streets designated as such in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter.
SNOW TIRES
Any tires mounted on the drive wheels of motor vehicles which are especially designed to give effective traction on snow, mud or ice covered streets by means of extra heavy-duty treads with special high-traction patterns; except, that no tire so defined shall be construed to be a snow tire if it is damaged or worn to the extent that its performance would be substantially impaired.
STREET OR HIGHWAY
The entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
TIRE CHAINS
Any metal chains mounted on drive wheel tires of motor vehicles which cross the tread of each such tire laterally in at least three (3) different places.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.020; Ord. No. 5283 § 2, 9-17-1979]
A. 
Whenever the City Traffic Engineer finds, on the basis of falling snow, sleet or freezing rain or on the basis of a forecast by the United States Weather Bureau of snow, sleet or freezing rain that weather conditions will make it necessary that motor vehicle traffic be expedited and that parking on City streets be prohibited or restricted for snow plowing and other purposes, the City Traffic Engineer shall declare a snow emergency.
B. 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (A) hereof, a snow emergency shall automatically go into effect on any part of any snow emergency route on which there has been an accumulation of snow and ice of two (2) inches or more for one (1) hour or more between 6:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M. of any day.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.030; Ord. No. 5283 § 7, 9-17-1979]
The City Traffic Engineer shall cause each declaration made by him/her pursuant to this Chapter to be publicly announced by means of broadcasts or telecasts from a station with a normal range covering the City, and he/she may cause such declarations to be further announced in newspapers of general circulation when feasible. Each announcement shall describe the action taken by the City Traffic Engineer, including the time it became or will become effective, and shall specify the streets or areas affected. A parking prohibition, or traffic emergency declared by the City Traffic Engineer shall not go into effect until at least one (1) hour after it has been announced, in accordance with this Section.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.040; Ord. No. 5283 § 9, 9-17-1979]
Any provisions of this Chapter which becomes effective by declaration of the City Traffic Engineer or upon the occurrence of certain weather conditions shall, while temporarily in effect, take precedence over provisions of law relating to traffic accidents, emergency travel of authorized emergency vehicles or emergency traffic directions by a Public Safety Officer.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.050; Ord. No. 5283 §§ 2, 8, 9-17-1979]
A. 
Whenever the City Traffic Engineer shall find that some or all of the conditions which give rise to a parking prohibition or snow emergency in effect pursuant to this Chapter no longer exist, he/she may declare the prohibition or emergency terminated, in whole or in part, in a manner prescribed by this Chapter effective immediately upon announcement.
B. 
Once in effect, a snow emergency under this Section shall remain in effect until terminated by announcement of the City Traffic Engineer in accordance with this Chapter; except, that any street area which has become substantially clear of snow and ice from curb to curb for the length of the entire block shall be automatically excluded therefrom.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.060; Ord. No. 5283 § 2, 9-17-1979]
While the snow emergency is in effect, no person shall park or allow to remain parked any vehicle on any portion of a snow emergency route to which the emergency applies. However, nothing in this Section shall be construed to permit parking at any time or place where it is forbidden by any other provisions of law.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.070; Ord. No. 5283 § 5, 9-17-1979; Ord. No. 7230, 6-15-1992]
A. 
Whenever the City Traffic Engineer finds, on the basis of falling snow, sleet or freezing rain or on the basis of a forecast by the United States Weather Bureau of snow, sleet or freezing rain, that weather conditions may cause slippery or hazardous conditions which might lead to serious traffic congestion, the City Traffic Engineer may declare a snow emergency, and no person operating a motor vehicle on a snow emergency route on which there is a covering of snow, sleet or ice shall allow such vehicle to become stalled wholly or partly because the drive wheels thereof are not equipped with effective tire chains or snow tires.
B. 
Any Police, Fire, Ambulance, Civil Defense, Water, Sewer, Refuse Collection, Park and Street Department vehicles making emergency calls and repairs are exempted from the provisions of this Section.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.080; Ord. No. 5283 § 6, 9-17-1979]
Whenever a vehicle becomes stalled for any reason, whether or not in violation of this Chapter, 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 onto the first cross street which is not a snow emergency route. No person shall abandon or leave his/her vehicle in the roadway of a snow emergency route (regardless of whether he/she indicates, by raising the hood or otherwise, that the vehicle is stalled), 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.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.090; Ord. No. 5283 § 11, 9-17-1979]
A. 
Members of the Police Department are hereby authorized to remove or have removed a vehicle from a street to the nearest garage or other place of safety (including 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 take appropriate steps to remove it in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter.
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. 
The removal, impounding and return of obstructing vehicles on a snow emergency route shall be at the direction of the Police Department in accordance with applicable ordinances pertaining thereto.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.100; Ord. No. 5283 § 12, 9-17-1979]
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 Chapter, proof that the particular 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.
[R.O. 1992 § 395.110; Ord. No. 5283 § 14, 9-17-1979]
Every person convicted of a violation of any provision of this Chapter shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) or less than five dollars ($5.00) or by imprisonment for not more than thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.