[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
Any person violating the provisions of this Chapter shall, upon
conviction, be fined a sum of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor
more than one hundred dollars ($100.00), in addition to court costs,
together with whatever reasonable costs may have been incurred for
the removal and storage for such vehicle, if said person has not been
previously convicted of violating any of the provisions of this Chapter.
Upon each subsequent conviction for a violation of the provisions
of this Chapter, the court shall assess a fine not less than one hundred
dollars ($100.00) nor more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00),
plus applicable court costs, and whatever reasonable cost may have
been incurred for the removal and storage of such vehicle.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
Whenever the Mayor, Councilperson At Large, City Administrator,
Street Commissioner or City Police Chief, determines, on the basis
of falling snow, sleet or freezing rain, or other weather related
event, or on the basis of a weather bureau forecast of an expected
weather event, that weather conditions may cause hazardous or dangerous
driving conditions upon the streets and roadways within the City,
any one (1) of the above-named individuals shall have the authority
to declare a traffic emergency.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
Upon the declaration of a traffic emergency by any one (1) of
the above-named individuals, there shall be placed upon the public
bulletin board at the City Hall and the City website a notice that
a traffic emergency has been declared, and said notice shall remain
posted on said bulletin board and website until said traffic emergency
is abated. In addition, a radio station whose broadcasts are normally
received within the City shall be contacted and requested to broadcast,
as a public service announcement, the fact that a traffic emergency
has been declared by the City and that the provisions of this Chapter
are in effect during said traffic snow emergency.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
A.
The following acts shall be prohibited during a traffic emergency:
1.
The parking of any motor vehicle upon an emergency snow route
within the City; or
2.
The operation of a motor vehicle upon an emergency snow route
so as to impede the free movement of traffic upon said roadway, or
impede the removal or treatment of snow, sleet or ice upon the roadway,
if the drive wheels of said vehicle are not mounted with snow tires,
chains or radials, with the exception of vehicles with dual drive
wheels.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
Emergency snow routes shall be as designated by the City Council
from time to time and listed in the schedule of emergency snow routes
on file with the City Clerk.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
On each street designated pursuant to the Chapter as a snow
emergency route, the Street Commissioner shall post special signs
at reasonable intervals with substantially the wording "Snow Route.
No Parking tow away zone." Such signs shall be distinctive and uniform
in appearance, and shall be plainly readable to persons traveling
on the City streets.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
Police officers of the City are hereby authorized to remove
vehicles removed to a tow lot or other locations, including another
location on another street, from any emergency snow route or any motor
vehicle violating the provisions of this Chapter, and the owner of
such vehicle shall be liable for the reasonable cost incurred in the
removal and storage of such vehicle.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
Whenever a vehicle becomes stalled for any reason during a traffic
emergency, the person operating the vehicle shall take immediate action
to have the vehicle towed or pushed off the roadway. No person shall
abandon or leave his/her vehicle in the roadway 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.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
No person shall impede or interfere in any way with a snow plow,
other snow removal vehicle, or other City street department vehicles
or equipment (collectively "equipment") while such equipment being
operated on City streets by City employees or by an agent of the City
during a traffic emergency.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
After the declaration of a traffic emergency as set forth herein,
the prohibition against parking or impeding the free flow of traffic
or removal of snow, sleet and ice conditions upon said emergency snow
routes shall remain in effect until terminated by the announcement
of the City Administrator, Street Commissioner, City Police Chief,
Mayor or Councilperson At Large. Said termination shall also be evidenced
by a notice of the termination upon the public bulletin board in the
City Hall, City website, and public service announcements by a radio
station whose broadcasts are normally received in the Chillicothe
area.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
In the event a motor vehicle is found upon an emergency snow
route during a traffic emergency and no operator of the motor vehicle
is present, the owner of said motor vehicle and in whose name such
motor vehicle is registered shall be held prima facie responsible
for such violation.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
No person or persons, other than persons employed or under contract
by the City of Chillicothe engaged in the removal of snow, ice or
other frozen precipitation from driveways, parking lots or sidewalks
shall deposit such snow, ice or other frozen precipitation in the
streets or any public way for vehicular or pedestrian traffic. Nor
shall any person or persons engaged in the removal of snow or ice
allow such snow, ice or other frozen precipitation to be deposited
on or against any fire hydrant. One result of clearing City streets
is that the windrow from the plows pushes snow/ice out to the edges
of the roadway often blocking private driveway or mailbox access.
Property owners and residents clearing this windrow to provide driveway
and mailbox access shall only do so in a manner that does not place
the snow/ice back onto the public street pavement.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
For weather related emergencies of any kind, the Mayor or City
Administrator may cause additional restrictions or prohibitions to
traffic and parking regulations be placed into effect by making a
public declaration thereof. Each declaration made by him or her pursuant
to this Chapter to be publicly announced by means of the City's
Website and/or such other media or internet sites or systems as the
Mayor or City Administrator may find appropriate from time to time,
and by issuing a press release to local media with broadcasts or telecasts
from a station with a normal operating range covering the City. Each
announcement shall describe the action taken by the Mayor or City
Administrator, including the time it became or will become effective.
[Ord. No. 2016-03 §1, 1-25-2016]
Any provisions of this Chapter which becomes effective by declaration
of a person designated in this Chapter upon the occurrence of certain
weather conditions shall while temporarily in effect take precedence
over other conflicting provisions of law normally in effect; except,
that it shall not 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.
