The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation
and enforcement of this article.
ROADWAY
That portion of a street or highway improved, designed or
ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder.
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.
TOWN MANAGER
The Town Manger of the Town of Georgetown or, in his or her
absence, his or her designee.
On those streets or parts thereof designated by the Council
as snow emergency routes, special signs shall be posted, at intervals
not exceeding 600 feet with the wording: "Snow Emergency Route. Tow
In Zone." These signs shall be distinctive and uniform in appearance,
shall be plainly readable to persons traveling on the street or highway
and shall comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices,
as adopted by the Town.
Whenever the Town Manager determines, on the basis of falling
snow, sleet or freezing rain, that weather conditions will make it
necessary that motor vehicle traffic be expedited and that parking
on Town streets be prohibited or restricted for snow plowing and other
purposes, he or she shall declare a snow emergency on all or a portion
of the emergency routes. While a 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 snow emergency applies. Nothing
in this section shall permit parking at any time or place otherwise
forbidden by any other provision of law.
Once declared, a snow emergency shall remain in effect until
terminated by announcement of the Town Manager, in accord with this
chapter.
The provisions of this article which become effective during
a snow emergency shall take precedence over conflicting ordinances
normally in effect, except those relating to traffic accidents, emergency
travel of authorized vehicles or emergency traffic directions by a
police officer.
The Town Manager shall cause each declaration of a snow emergency
made by him or her under this article to be publicly announced by
means of broadcasts or telecasts from stations with a normal operating
range covering the Town, and he or she may cause such declaration
to be further announced in newspapers of general circulation, when
feasible. Each announcement shall describe the action taken by the
Town Manager, including the effective time and the streets or areas
affected. A snow emergency declared by the Town Manager shall not
go into effect less than two hours after it has been announced in
the news media between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. The Town Manager shall
keep a record of the time and date when each snow emergency is first
announced to the public.
Whenever the Town Manager determines the need for a snow emergency
no longer exists, he or she may declare it terminated, in whole or
in part, effective immediately upon announcement through appropriate
news media.
Whenever a vehicle becomes stalled or immobilized, for any reason,
on any part of a snow emergency route during a snow emergency, the
person operating that vehicle shall take immediate action to have
the vehicle towed or pushed off the roadway of the snow emergency
route, either onto the first cross street which is not a snow emergency
route, or onto the public space portion of a nearby driveway. No person
shall abandon or leave his vehicle in the roadway of such snow emergency
route except for a reasonable time necessary to receive assistance.
Members of the Police Department are authorized to remove or
have removed a vehicle from a street to a garage or other place of
safety when:
A. The vehicle is parked on a part of a snow emergency route on which
a snow emergency is in effect.
B. The vehicle is stalled or immobilized on a part of a snow emergency
route on which there is a snow emergency in effect and the person
who was operating such vehicle does not appear to be removing it in
accordance with the provisions of this article.
C. The vehicle is parked in violation of any parking ordinance or provision
of law and is interfering or about to interfere with snow removal
operation.
Whenever any motor vehicle without a driver is found parked
or left in violation of any provision of this article, and is not
removed and impounded, the officer finding such vehicle may take its
registration number, and any other information displayed on the vehicle
which identifies its user, and conspicuously affix to such vehicle
a traffic citation for the driver to answer the charge against him
on the date, time and place specified in the citation. Nothing herein
shall be construed as prohibiting both removal of a vehicle and prosecution
of the driver for violation of this article.
In any prosecution with regard to a vehicle parked or left in
a place or in a condition in violation of this article, proof that
the particular vehicle described in the complaint was parked or left
in violation of a provision of this article, together with proof that
the defendant named in the complaint was at the time the registered
owner of that vehicle, is presumptive evidence that the defendant
was the person who parked or left the vehicle in violation of this
article.