[Adopted 5-8-2017 ATM
by Art. 21]
The Town of Foxborough believes that it is in the best interest
of the residents for the Town to assume basic responsibility for control
of snow and ice on the Town streets. Reasonable ice and snow control
is necessary for routine travel and emergency services. The Town will
provide such control in a safe and cost effective manner, keeping
in mind safety, budget, personnel and environmental concerns. The
Town will use Town employees, equipment and/or private contractors
to provide this service.
The Director of Public Works will decide when to begin snow
or ice control operations. The criteria for that decision are:
Snow will be plowed in a manner so as to minimize any traffic obstructions. Snow will be plowed from inside out except where it is windrowed, and these areas are specified in § 235-36. In times of extreme snowfall, streets will not always be able to be completely cleared of snow.
A.
The Director of Public Works will determine when snow will be removed
by truck from the area. Such snow removal will occur in areas where
there is no room on the street for snow storage and in areas where
accumulated piles of snow create a hazardous condition. Snow removal
operations will not commence until other operations have been completed.
Snow removal operations may be delayed depending on weather conditions
and personnel availability. The snow will be removed and hauled to
a snow storage area within Foxborough. The snow storage area will
be so located as to minimize environmental problems.
B.
The Town has classified Town streets based on the importance and
the welfare of the community. These are:
(1)
Streets of the Town that provide access for emergency fire, police
and medical services.
(2)
The second-priority streets are those streets providing access to
schools and commercial businesses.
(3)
The third-priority streets are low-volume residential streets.
(4)
The fourth-priority areas are Town parking lots.
C.
A snow emergency may be declared any time during the year at the
discretion of the Town Manager when two or more inches of snow or
ice have covered or drifted over a street.
A.
Snowplow operators are emergency personnel. Operators will take a
fifteen-minute break every two hours and a half-hour meal break after
four hours.
B.
Weather conditions. Snow and ice control operations will be conducted
only when weather conditions do not endanger the safety of Town employees
and equipment. Factors that may delay snow and ice control operations
include severe cold, significant winds and limited visibility.
The Town will use salt, sand and other chemicals when there
is hazardous ice or slippery conditions. The Town is concerned about
the effect of such chemicals on the environment and will limit their
use for that reason.
The Common and school routes will be maintained throughout and
after storms. If schedules allow, additional sidewalks may be cleared
in the days following a storm. Some sidewalks are not able to be cleared
due to width restrictions and obstacles, including but not limited
to telephone poles, fire hydrants and stonewalls.
A.
Responsibility for private parking lots, entrances to lots and driveways
shall rest with the individual property owners. This includes the
clearing of additional snow that may accumulate once the Town plows
have gone by.
B.
Town snowplowing crews will be responsible for plowing the municipal
parking lots, including the schools.
In accordance with the provisions of the Town Code and state
law, it is unlawful for any person to place snow or ice upon public
property, including public streets. Furthermore, cleared snow shall
be piled and accumulated in a manner which does not block visibility
of drivers on public streets or cause other hazardous conditions.
The Director of Public Works shall have the authority to notify property
owners who violate this section and shall require them to remedy the
situation.
The Town recognizes that on occasion private property is damaged
during snow and ice control operations. Where this happens it shall
be the policy of the Town to handle damages in the following manner:
A.
Mailboxes. Where mailboxes are placed adjacent to the street, it
shall be the policy of the Town that snow shall be plowed as close
as practicable to the curb to allow for passage of traffic and mail
delivery. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to
keep piled snow away from mailboxes so mail can be delivered. Where
damage to mailboxes occurs, the homeowner will assume responsibility
for repair.
B.
Grass and lawn repair. The property owner shall be responsible for
repairing lawn damage due to plow equipment, including both street
and sidewalk plows.
C.
Curbs. Concrete curbs will not be replaced unless the curb back is
broken.
D.
Driveway aprons. The Town will not repair damage caused to driveway
aprons or fillets where mountable curb is in place, unless authorized
by either the Director of Public Works or the Town Manager.
A.
In order to facilitate the safe and orderly snow-clearing operations,
the Town Manager may declare a snow or ice emergency based on existing
or expected weather conditions.
B.
During a snow or ice emergency all parking on Town roads is prohibited.
C.
Vehicles parked on Town roadways in violation of the ban may be ticketed
and/or towed at the owner's expense.
D.
When possible, advance notice will be sent out through various media
electronic means, including posting on the Town's website: www.foxboroughma.gov
[Amended 1-30-2023 STM by Art. 1]
The Town Manager and Director of Public Works shall annually
review, and present changes if necessary to the Select Board for adoption
by resolution, the Town's Snow Removal Policy and Operational Guidelines
at its first regular meeting in October.
