[Added 10-16-2008 by Ord. No. 1836]
The City Council hereby finds and declares as a matter of legislative
determination and by the authority of the New York State Vehicle and
Traffic Law that it is in the best interests of the residents of the
City of Watervliet to expedite the removal of snow on the public streets
so as to prevent the congestion of traffic and to expedite the orderly
movement thereof during snow and other natural emergencies.
Whenever the road conditions in the City of Watervliet shall
become hazardous or such that the free movement of fire, health, police,
emergency or other vehicular traffic may become impeded by reason
of snow, freezing rain, sleet, ice or other natural causes, the Mayor
of the City of Watervliet, upon advice of the General Manager, Chief
of Police, Director of Public Safety, and Director of Public Works,
is hereby authorized to declare the existence of an emergency.
[Amended 6-20-2019 by Ord. No. 2005]
The declaration of an emergency as specified in § 260-33.2 shall be conveyed to the public by the mass communication system utilized by the City, social media or the City's website, which shall constitute notice to the general public of such emergency.
A.
A snow emergency shall commence at either 7:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m.
B.
Such snow emergency shall be in existence for a forty-eight-hour
period.
C.
If conditions warrant, the Mayor, upon advice of the General Manager,
Chief of Police, Director of Public Safety, and Director of Public
Works, is authorized to continue the snow emergency for an additional
forty-eight-hour period. Continuation of such snow emergency shall
be conveyed to the public by radio and television announcements.
Information relative to the existence of a snow emergency, when
commenced and regulations pertaining thereto, can be obtained by calling
the City of Watervliet Police Department at (518) 270-3833 or the
office of the General Manager at (518) 270-3800.
The General Manager is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations
relative to a snow emergency is conformance with this article.
[Amended 11-18-2010 by Ord. No. 1868; 2-14-2013 by Ord. No. 1895]
In addition to the penalty specified in § 260-33.8 of this article, any vehicle parked, stalled or otherwise unable to be moved during any snow emergency in violation of the provisions of this article or any rules and regulations promulgated hereto may be towed or caused to be removed and stored under the direction of the General Manager and Police Department. The owner or person in charge of the vehicle may redeem it upon payment to the Director of Finance of the amount of all expenses actually and necessarily incurred in effecting such removal and storage. The owner or person in charge of such vehicle shall have 14 calendar days to retrieve such vehicle. If the vehicle is not retrieved within 14 calendar days, the owner or person in charge of such vehicle shall pay storage charges not exceeding $30 per day.
[Amended 11-18-2010 by Ord. No. 1869]
In addition to the penalty specified in § 260-33.7 of this article, the owner or person in charge of any vehicle parked, stalled or otherwise unable to be moved during any snow emergency in violation of the provisions of this article or any rules and regulations promulgated hereto shall be issued a parking ticket which shall subject such vehicle owner or person in charge to a fine in the amount of $100.
