[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Washington
10-21-1997 by Ord. No. 97-13. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the meanings
indicated:
Full chains, strap chains or other types of chains mounted on both
rear and/or front wheels of a motorized vehicle.
Any precipitation depositing any accumulation on the streets or thoroughfares
within the Township of Washington, including snow, sleet, hail, ice or freezing
rain.
A state of street conditions that are hazardous and/or dangerous to vehicular and pedestrian traffic and so declared by the Township Police Chief and/or Township Public Works Manager and/or other designated township official as provided in § 102-4 below.
Tires having treads designed for use in snow, which tires must be
in such condition as to serve the purpose for which they are designed.
A.
Whenever snow has fallen and the accumulation is such
that it covers the streets or highways or thoroughfares, an emergency shall
exist and no vehicle shall be parked on the streets or highways of Washington
Township.
B.
The above parking prohibition shall remain in effect
until after the snow has ceased, until the streets or highways or thoroughfares
have been plowed sufficiently and to the extent that parking will not interfere
with the normal flow of traffic.
C.
There shall be signs posted at the borders of the township
notifying all citizens, residents, pedestrians, drivers and visitors stating
that snow emergencies may be declared on any and/or all streets, highways
and thoroughfares and governed by the provisions of this chapter.
Any unoccupied vehicle parked and/or standing in violation of this chapter
shall be deemed a nuisance and a menace to the safe and proper regulations
of traffic, and any police or other law enforcement/governmental officer may
provide for the removal of such vehicle. The owner shall pay the reasonable
costs of the removal and storage which may result from such removal before
regaining possession of the vehicle.
A.
When, in the opinion of the Township Police Chief, Township
Public Works Manager, other designated township official or other authorized
governmental official, whichever is applicable, the actual or expected precipitation
of snow will create hazardous or dangerous street and highway conditions for
vehicular or pedestrian traffic, he/she may, in the manner set forth herein,
declare that a snow emergency exists in the township or section(s) thereof.
B.
Said official(s) shall, as soon as possible, inform the
public of the snow emergency by issuing a press release to the local/state,
where applicable, radio, television and news services.
C.
Said official(s) may declare any snow emergency route or any part of a snow emergency route to be free from the restrictions herein imposed, or the snow emergency terminated, when in his/her opinion the weather or street conditions warrant such a determination. The official(s) shall give notice of this manner, if possible, as provided for in Subsection B of this section.
No later than one hour after a snow emergency has been declared, and
during its existence, no person shall cause, permit, allow or suffer any vehicle
owned by or driven by him/her to become stalled or immobile on any portion
of any of the streets, highways and/or thoroughfares within the township because
of failure of said vehicle to be equipped with snow tires or chains as defined
herein.
Unless another penalty is expressly provided by New Jersey Statute,
every person convicted of a violation of a provision of this chapter, or any
supplement thereto, shall be liable to a penalty of not more than $100 or
imprisonment for a term not to exceed 20 days, or both, exclusive of removal/storage
costs per this chapter.
