[Adopted 6-22-2011 by Ord. No. 986]
This article shall be known as the "Morrisville Borough Snow and Ice Clearing Ordinance."
The Borough Council of the Borough of Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, finds that the deposit of snow and/or ice in a public street or alley by adjoining property owners may adversely affect the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Borough and that in order to protect the public it is necessary and proper to prohibit such actions as well as related activities that threaten the public welfare.
It shall be unlawful for any person, as the result of snow-removal activities on private property, to deposit snow or ice in a public street or alley. Storage of snow and ice in wind rows along the edge of the sidewalk and the curb is permitted.
No person shall deposit snow and/or ice in piles more than 36 inches higher than street level within 10 feet of an intersection.
No person shall place snow and/or ice on or around a fire hydrant. Persons owning or residing on property on which a fire hydrant is located shall clear the hydrant of snow.
No person shall place snow and/or ice on adjacent property without the express permission of such adjacent property.
Whenever any person fails to remove snow and/or ice deposited in violation of this article within four hours following a request to do so by an authorized representative of Morrisville Borough, or is otherwise in violation of this article, the Borough may remove or cause the removal of said snow and/or ice from a public street or alley and shall notify the Borough Secretary with regard to the expense incurred by the Borough to effect such removal, including the cost of labor, equipment and materials. Following such notice, the Borough Secretary shall promptly issue an invoice to the person in violation of this article for the cost of removal of snow and/or ice. If such invoice is unpaid 30 days following issuance of the invoice to a property owner, the amount of such invoice shall be assessed against the property and shall become a lien thereon, collectible in the same manner as delinquent Borough utilities or other municipal liens in accordance with applicable law.
No person shall place or cause to be placed any obstruction in a public street or alley for the purpose of protecting a parking area cleared of snow and/or ice. Any such obstruction shall be removed by the Borough of Morrisville and discarded.
Any person, firm, corporation or organization violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon summary conviction before a District Magistrate having jurisdiction, be punishable by a minimum fine or not less than $100 and a maximum fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution and, in default of the payment thereof, shall be sentenced to undergo imprisonment for a period of one day. A new and separate offense shall be deemed to have been committed for each day that said violation exists. All fines imposed by this article are recoverable by summary proceedings before the District Magistrate and, upon recovery thereof, all such fines shall be paid into the Treasury of Morrisville Borough.
In addition to the penalties provided in the preceding section, the Borough shall be authorized to remove, or cause the removal of, any vehicle parked in violation of this article, and to store said vehicle in a public garage or other place of safety selected by the Borough. The Borough shall notify the registered owner of any such vehicle, if known, of the deposit of such vehicle in an appropriate location as determined by the Borough, providing the location of the vehicle and advising the owner that the vehicle may be reclaimed upon payment of towing and storage charges.