[Adopted 12-14-1972 by Ord. No. 1972-2]
Whenever there is any accumulation of snow, ice and/or freezing rain upon the streets which shall be designated as snow emergency routes by resolution[1] of the Board of Supervisors, causing such streets to become dangerous and hazardous to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, a snow emergency shall be declared by the Supervisors of the Township. Whenever a snow emergency exists on snow emergency routes, all parking shall be prohibited on these routes. Such routes shall be designated by official signs erected by the Township.
[1]
Editor's Note: Resolution No. 1994-13, adopted 11-21-1994, designated the following streets as snow emergency routes: Old Route 100, Forgedale Road, County Line Road, Lenape Road, Niantic Road, Hill Church Road, Limekiln Road and Crow Hill Road. Resolution No. 1995-11A, adopted 11-20-1995, designated Hoffmansville Road as a snow emergency route.
All vehicles traveling on a snow emergency route during a snow emergency shall be equipped with chains or snow tires.
Any time a snow emergency shall be deemed to be in effect by virtue of the foregoing provisions, such emergency shall continue to exist until such time as the Township Supervisors shall declare that the snow emergency has been terminated. Such declaration shall be made in accordance with the rules and regulations hereinafter established by the Township Supervisors.
[Amended 10-27-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-2]
A. 
Snow emergency route; declared snow emergency.
(1) 
It shall be unlawful for any vehicle to be left parked, stalled, incapable of moving under its own power or unattended, or for objects (including but not limited to basketball hoops and similar large objects) creating obstruction to snow removal and activities of road crews and safety personnel, in violation of this article, to be left upon any street designated and marked as a snow emergency route in this Township during a declared snow emergency.
(2) 
Any vehicle parked, stalled, incapable of moving under its own power or unattended, or large object creating obstruction left in the road, in violation of this article, shall be removed from the Township roadway to the owner's property or a place of safety or storage as determined by the Township, upon notice by any authorized road employee or other Township personnel, such notice to be placed on any such vehicle or object in violation. Following notice of violation, any such vehicle or object in violation of this section shall be removed to the owner' s property or other designated location as determined by the Township within 30 minutes. Should the vehicle or object not be removed within 30 minutes after due notice, the Township is authorized to remove the vehicle from the roadway by towing or other means of removal and storage.
(3) 
Any costs incurred for the towing or storage of any vehicle or object removed from the Township roadways pursuant to this article are the responsibility of the owner of the vehicle or object. These costs are in addition to any penalties for violation of Township ordinances.
B. 
Parking or standing of vehicles or objects on all township roadways prohibited upon accumulation of two inches or more of ice and/or snow.
(1) 
No vehicles shall be permitted to stand or park, and no large objects as described in Subsection A of this section above, shall be permitted to remain, upon any Township road upon accumulation of two inches or more of ice and/or snow, regardless of whether there has been a declaration of snow emergency or the road is a designated snow emergency route. In the case of an accumulation of snow and/ or ice of more than two inches where there has not been a snow emergency declaration or the road is not a snow emergency route, any vehicle(s) or object(s) must be removed from the roadway until the snow and/or ice has been removed.
(2) 
Any vehicle parked, stalled, incapable of moving under its own power or unattended, or large object creating obstruction left in the road, in violation of this article, shall be removed from the Township roadway to the owner's property or a place of safety or storage as determined by the Township, upon notice by any authorized road employee or other Township personnel, such notice to be placed on any such vehicle or object in violation. Following notice of violation, any such vehicle or object in violation of this ordinance shall be removed to the owner' s property or other designated location as determined by the Township within 30 minutes. Should the vehicle or object not be removed within 30 minutes after due notice, the Township is authorized to remove the vehicle from the roadway by towing or other means of removal and storage.
(3) 
Any costs incurred for the towing or storage of any vehicle or object removed from the Township roadways pursuant to this article are the responsibility of the owner of the vehicle or object. These costs are in addition to any penalties for violation of Township ordinances.
In the event that vehicles are impounded under the authority of § 125-6 mentioned above, said vehicles shall be stored in such storage areas and garages as are approved from time to time by the Township Supervisors. Such storage areas or garages used as pounds for the storage of vehicles mentioned above shall be approved by the Township Supervisors only after the owners or operators of such storage areas or garages have provided bond in a sufficient and adequate amount for the indemnification of the owner of such impounded vehicle against the loss thereof or injury or damage thereto while in the custody of such poundkeeper and have provided, in writing, for the Board of Supervisors fixed, specific towing and storage charges to be assessed against the owner of the vehicle.
Within 12 hours from the time of the impounding of such vehicle or ascertainment by the Township as to the identity of the owner of such vehicle, notice of the fact that such vehicle has been impounded shall be sent by the Township to the owner of record of such vehicle designating the place from which said vehicle was removed, the reason for its impounding and the place in which it has been impounded.
[Amended 4-11-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-3]
The payment of such charges assessed above, unless such payment shall be made under protest, shall be final and conclusive and shall constitute a waiver of any right to recover the money so paid by the owner of the motor vehicles so impounded. In the event that the towing and impounding charges are paid under protest, the offender shall be entitled to a hearing before a District Justice or a court of record having jurisdiction.
No vehicle shall be removed under the terms of this article it at the time of such intended removal, the owner or person for the time being in charge of such vehicle is present and expresses a willingness and intention to immediately remove said vehicle.
All parking of vehicles during a snow emergency shall be made in compliance with the rules and regulations adopted herein by the Township Supervisors of the Township of Washington to carry out the intent and purpose of this article. Such rules and regulations shall be approved by resolution of the Township Supervisors and, when so appropriated, shall have the same force and effect as the provisions of this article. Said rules and regulations may be amended, modified or repealed by resolution of the Township Supervisors.
Any owner, occupant or tenant of any property in the Township shall not deposit or cause to be deposited any snow, hail or sleet upon any plowed portion of any Township street or road.
Any person, firm or corporation guilty of violating any of the provisions of this article, as defined herein, shall, upon conviction before any District Justice by summary proceedings, be fined not less than $10 nor more than $100, together with costs, and, in default of payment thereof be committed to the Township lockup for a period not exceeding five days or to the county jail for a permit not exceeding five days.