[HISTORY: Adopted by the City of Norwalk Common Council 5-10-1988; amended in
its entirety 4-8-2003. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
It is hereby declared to be in the best interest of the public safety,
convenience and welfare of the City to regulate and restrict parking
of vehicles on public highways within the control and limits of the
City of Norwalk during a period of snow emergencies so as not to impede
the transportation and movement of food, fuel, medical care, fire,
police protection and other vital functions of the City.
B.
In order to facilitate the proper removal of snow and ice accumulations
on all public streets and to provide for the free and safe movement
of vehicular and pedestrian traffic during periods of exceptional
snowfall and ice accumulation, the following chapter is hereby enacted.
In addition to the terms defined in Chapters 91 and 95 and unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meanings of terms used in this chapter shall be as follows:
Leaving a motor vehicle, occupied or not occupied, or any
other vehicle in a stationary position within the limits of a public
street, highway or off-street parking facility otherwise than for
the purpose of and while actually engaged in the loading or unloading
of merchandise or receiving or discharging passengers.
A situation wherein the Mayor has declared an emergency due
to an expected or actual accumulation of snowfall or icing conditions
such that effective and efficient removal and sanding and salting
is necessary to ensure public safety.
A City street that has been designated by a resolution of
the Traffic Authority as a snow emergency route. The Traffic Authority
shall consider classifying as snow emergency routes major or minor
arterial streets within the regulations entitled "City of Norwalk
Department of Public Works Roadway Standards," as amended and supplemented
and other streets or portions of streets at the discretion of the
Traffic Authority.
Leaving a motor vehicle, occupied or not occupied, or any
other vehicle in a stationary position within the limits of a public
street, highway or off-street parking facility otherwise than for
the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging
passengers.
A.
Whenever the Director of Public Works finds, on the basis of falling
snow, sleet, freezing rain or other climatic condition or on the basis
of a forecast by the United States Weather Bureau or other weather
service of snow, sleet, freezing rain or other climatic condition,
that weather conditions will require that motor vehicle traffic be
expedited and that parking or standing on city streets be prohibited
or restricted to allow for snowplowing and other purposes, the Director
may recommend that the Mayor declare a snow emergency in the manner
prescribed in this chapter.
B.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A hereof, no vehicle shall park or otherwise remain standing upon any snow emergency route when there is present an accumulation of two or more inches of snow or ice for a period of one hour or more between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. of any day.
C.
Once a snow emergency has been declared, it shall remain in effect
until terminated by announcement of the Mayor, except that any street
which has become substantially clear of snow and ice from curb to
curb for the length of the entire block shall be automatically excluded
from any parking prohibition order unless and until there occurs a
new accumulation of two or more inches of snow or ice.
D.
During the snow emergency, no person shall park a vehicle or otherwise
allow a vehicle to stand upon any portion of a snow emergency route.
During a snow emergency, no person shall park a vehicle or otherwise
allow a vehicle to stand upon any street in such a manner as to constitute
a hazard or obstruction to vehicular or pedestrian traffic or to hamper
and interfere with the work of removing or plowing snow or removal
of ice. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit parking
at any time or place where it is forbidden by any other provision
of law or regulation.
Whenever a vehicle becomes stalled for any reason on any part
of a snow emergency route during an emergency parking prohibition,
the person operating such vehicle shall take immediate action to have
the vehicle towed or pushed off the traveled way of such snow emergency
route, either onto the first cross street which is not a snow emergency
route or onto that portion of a nearby driveway which lies within
the right-of-way. No person shall abandon or leave his vehicle in
the traveled way of a snow emergency route, regardless of whether
he indicates, by raising the hood or otherwise, that the vehicle is
stalled, except for the purpose of securing assistance in the immediate
removal of such vehicle, and such person shall thereafter promptly
return to the stalled vehicle. Violations of this section shall constitute
a public nuisance.
A.
Declaration of a snow emergency shall be made, whenever practicable,
at least three hours in advance of the time that said snow emergency
becomes effective. Notice of said declaration shall be given by publication
in a newspaper or by broadcast through local radio stations.
B.
The Director of Public Works shall make or cause to be made a record
of each time and date when any declaration of snow emergency is declared
pursuant to this chapter.
Such snow emergency shall continue in effect until rescinded
by the Mayor.
Upon the Traffic Authority's designating a street or a
portion thereof as a snow emergency route, the Director of Public
Works shall cause to be erected or installed signs with the wording
"Emergency Snow Route. No Parking When Declared Tow-Away Zone" along
a street designated as a snow emergency route. These signs shall be
plainly visible to persons traveling in vehicles on the street or
highway.
The provisions of Chapter 98, Vehicle and Traffic, shall apply in the removal, impounding and return of vehicle in violation of this chapter, except that vehicles in violation of § 99-4, Stalled vehicles on snow emergency route, hereof may be towed without prior notice to the owner thereof at the owner's expense.
Any person violating the terms of this chapter shall be subject to a fine for each such violation. The registered owner of any such vehicle shall prima facie be presumed to have parked or to have authorized the parking of said vehicle. If a vehicle determined to be in violation of this chapter is registered in the name of a partnership, firm, corporation or other business entity, it shall be presumed that the operator was acting within the scope of his authority as the agent, servant or employee of said partnership, firm, corporation or business entity. The amount of the fine shall be established in accordance with the provisions of § 90-4, Approval of rates and fees.
If any provision, clause or phrase of this Chapter 99 is adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or if the applicability thereof to any persons or circumstances is held invalid, such judgment shall not invalidate the remainder, and the applicability thereof to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
