As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from
the context:
Portion of a highway, street, road or right-of-way improved,
designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the
berm or shoulder.
The entire width between the boundary lines of a way publicly
maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public
for purposes of vehicular travel.
Natural person, partnership, corporation, association, homeowners'
association, condominium association, or other legal entity.
Any precipitation depositing any accumulations on the streets,
including snow, sleet, hail, ice and freezing rain.
A motor vehicle as defined by the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code,
75 Pa.C.S.A. § 102.
Following the effective date of this chapter, it shall be unlawful
for any person to park, abandon or allow to be parked or abandoned
any motor vehicle or other vehicle on any Township highway, street,
road or right-of-way two hours after the start of a continuous snowfall
and until such time that the snow has stopped falling and the snow
has been completely plowed for the full width of the cartway.
A.
Any member of the West Vincent Township Police Department or any
employee of the Township of West Vincent engaged in roadwork is hereby
authorized to remove or have removed any vehicle abandoned or parked
upon any public highway, street, road or right-of-way in violation
of the terms and provisions of this article and to have said vehicle
towed by an authorized towing service. The registered owner of any
such vehicle shall be notified of the fact of the removal and of the
place to which said vehicle has been towed, where he or she may obtain
the same upon payment of any and all towing and storage charges. The
payment of towing and storage charges authorized by this provision
shall not operate to relieve the owner or operator of any vehicle
from liability for any fine or penalty for violation of this article.
B.
The police or Township employee shall give notice by phone or otherwise
to the owner of such impounded vehicle. If such notice cannot be given
as set forth above, written notice shall be mailed to the vehicle
owner within 24 hours from the time of the vehicle's removal, using
the address on file with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
Neither the Township nor any of its officers or employees shall be
held responsible for any damage to any vehicle occurring as a result
of towing and/or storage of a vehicle parked in violation of this
article.
No towing service shall be authorized to remove or tow vehicles
left parked or abandoned in violation of this article unless the towing
service is an authorized towing service in the Township.
It shall be unlawful for every person in charge or control of
any building or lot of land, whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee
or otherwise, to dump, throw, shovel, pile or push any snow or ice
removed from driveways, walkways, sidewalks or other private property
into any public highway, street, road or public right-of-way.
It shall be unlawful to cover fire hydrants with snow.
The owner, occupant or tenant of every property fronting upon
or alongside any of the streets of the Township is hereby required
to remove or cause to be removed from all of the sidewalks in front
of or alongside such property all snow and ice fallen or formed within
24 hours after the same have ceased to fall or form. In the PC/LI,
Ludwigs VCC and the VCR Zoning Districts, the minimum cleared width
of the sidewalks in front of or alongside commercial, retail or office
properties shall be 48 inches.
A.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article, upon
being found guilty thereof in an action commenced by the Township
of West Vincent before a Magisterial District Judge in the same manner
provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania
Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be ordered to pay a fine of not
more than $1,000 plus all court costs, including reasonable attorneys'
fees incurred by the Township. Such fines shall be collected as like
fines are now collected by law, and in default, the violator shall
undergo imprisonment to the extent allowed by law for the punishment
of summary offenses. Each day or portion thereof in which a violation
is found to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
B.
The person in whose name an illegally parked automobile is registered
shall be considered, prima facie, to have had control of the said
automobile at the time of such parking.
