[Adopted 6-14-2004 by Ord. No. 733]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
At least six cross-chains per driving wheel.
The Mayor of the Borough of Columbia or, in the absence of
the Mayor, the President of the Borough Council of the Borough of
Columbia.
Any precipitation depositing any accumulation on the streets
and sidewalks of the Borough of Columbia such as snow, sleet, hail,
ice and freezing rain.
A state of highway conditions that are hazardous and dangerous
to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, as declared by the Emergency
Coordinator.
All streets within the Borough of Columbia so designated
and marked.
Tires on driving wheels having treads designed for use in
snow, which tires must be in such condition as to serve the purpose
for which they were designed.
All self-propelled motorized vehicles using streets and/or
highways of or within the Borough of Columbia.
The Emergency Coordinator is authorized to declare
the snow emergency regulations of this article to be in effect:
A.
While snow is falling within the Borough of Columbia;
B.
Whenever there exists upon the streets and sidewalks
of the Borough of Columbia a covering, coating or accumulation of
snow which, for the effective removal thereof, requires prohibitions
against parking of vehicles; or
C.
Whenever the Emergency Coordinator has received from
a recognized weather forecasting service a firm forecast of snow.
A.
A declaration of snow emergency may be made by the Emergency Coordinator, at his discretion, in order to facilitate the movement of traffic and to combat the hazards or imminent hazards of excessive snow and ice on streets named as snow emergency routes in § 207-102 hereof.
B.
The Emergency Coordinator shall, between the hours
of 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., inform the public of a snow emergency
and the effective time thereof by issuing press releases to local
radio, television and news services which have a normal operating
range covering the Borough of Columbia. The effective time of the
snow emergency shall commence no less than two hours after the announcement
thereof.
C.
The snow emergency shall continue in full force and
effect until the Emergency Coordinator declares it to be over in the
same manner as it was declared.
D.
The announcement of the commencement time and termination
time of a snow emergency may be made simultaneously by the Emergency
Coordinator in place of or in addition to any announcement of termination.
A.
The following streets are hereby designated as snow
emergency routes:
[Amended 9-11-2017 by Ord. No. 886; 12-14-2021 by Ord. No. 931-2021]
|
Name of Street
|
Side
|
Location
|
|---|---|---|
|
Chestnut Street
|
Both
|
From North Second Street to North Fifth Street
|
|
Lancaster Avenue
|
Both
|
From Locust Street to Malleable Road
|
|
Locust Street
|
Both
|
From Front Street to Fifth Street
|
|
North Fifth Street
|
Both
|
From Chestnut Street to Locust Street
|
|
North Third Street
|
Both
|
From Locust Street to Cedar Street
|
B.
All streets designated as snow emergency routes shall
be posted with approved signs or markers at intervals not exceeding
1,000 feet, which signs or markers shall bear the words "snow emergency
route."
A.
Beginning with the effective time of a snow emergency,
as declared and announced by the Emergency Coordinator, but in no
event less than two hours after such declaration, and continuing until
the snow emergency has been terminated:
(1)
No person shall operate a vehicle on any snow emergency
route in such manner or in such condition as to allow or permit such
vehicle to become stalled on such snow emergency route either by reason
of the fact that the driving wheels are not equipped with chains or
snow tires, by the exhaustion of fuel supply to the vehicle or by
the abandonment of the vehicle.
(2)
No person shall park or permit to remain parked any
vehicle, boat, boat trailer or any trailer used for the purposes of
hauling vehicles or other items on a snow emergency route until announcement
has been made of the termination of the snow emergency and its corresponding
prohibition against parking on snow emergency routes.
(3)
When a snow emergency has not been declared and announced
by 11:00 p.m., the parking prohibitions set forth above shall not
apply until 8:00 a.m. the next day.
B.
Whenever the Emergency Coordinator finds that some
or all of the conditions which gave rise to the snow emergency no
longer exist, the Emergency Coordinator is authorized to declare a
termination of the snow emergency, in whole or in part, effective
immediately upon any announcement of the same.
A.
The Emergency Coordinator shall be authorized to declare
a temporary ban on parking of vehicles on any street within the Borough
of Columbia whenever a snow emergency has been declared. The Emergency
Coordinator shall make an announcement thereof and in such announcement
shall state the time and streets upon which parking of vehicles shall
be prohibited.
B.
The declaration and announcement of the temporary
ban on parking shall be made not less than four hours prior to its
becoming effective.
C.
Upon such declaration and announcement, the Borough
of Columbia shall place temporary signs prohibiting parking on the
streets so designated, which signs shall be posted not less than four
hours prior to the time the prohibition is to become effective.
A.
The Borough shall have the authority to remove and impound, or to order the removal and impounding, of any vehicle parked on a snow emergency route during a snow emergency declared pursuant to § 207-101 hereof.
B.
In the event that a vehicle is towed pursuant to this section, then, in addition to any other penalties set forth in § 207-106 hereof, prior to the owner of such vehicle regaining possession of said vehicle or upon assessment of the penalty pursuant to § 207-106 hereof, the owner shall pay to the Borough of Columbia the costs incurred by the Borough in causing such removal and storage, which shall be in addition to any penalties assessed pursuant to § 207-106.
C.
In the event that the owner of said vehicle fails
and refuses to claim such vehicle, then the Borough shall, in addition
to all other rights granted herein and by law, be entitled to pursue
a civil action against said owner for the cost of towing and storage
of said vehicle. Neither the Borough nor its employees or contractors
shall have any liability for any damage to any vehicle parked in violation
of this article occurring to such vehicle by reason of the Borough's
removal of such vehicle from its parking location and/or by reason
of the Borough's road maintenance and/or snow removal activities or
operations.
D.
Placement of objects to reserve parking spaces.
(1)
It is hereby declared to be unlawful for any person
to place or cause to be placed any item whatsoever for the purpose
of reserving parking spaces on any street or alley in the Borough
during any periods of precipitation or inclement weather, regardless
of whether a snow emergency has been declared.
(2)
Borough employees shall have the authority to remove
any such object which, in the sole discretion of the Borough employees,
is being used or has the effect of saving or reserving any parking
space within the Borough cartway.
E.
Dumpsters on snow emergency routes. It shall be unlawful
for any person to place or permit to remain placed any dumpster on
a designated snow emergency route at any time from December 1 through
March 31, except through the acquisition of a special exemption granted
by the Borough Manager or his designee, and then only for the specified
time that is approved.
The owner of any vehicle removed and impounded under § 207-105 shall be assessed a fine as set by resolution of Borough Council from time to time. Any person, partnership, business, corporation or other entity violating the provisions of this article, upon the issuance of a citation and conviction by a District Justice, shall be guilty of a summary offense and shall pay a fine of not more than $600. Each day a violation exists shall be considered a separate violation, subject to the same fines as set forth herein. It shall not be necessary to issue a separate citation for each day, but one citation can be issued to cover multiple days of violations. The Borough of Columbia hereby authorizes the Borough Manager, Secretary, Code Enforcement Officer or any duly and constituted police officer or parking enforcement officer to issue citations for violations of this article.
