Township of Pine, PA Snow Emergencies

To prohibit the parking of vehicles on the cartways of public roads, streets and highways within the Township of Pine and to prevent their interference with snow removal and deicing operations upon such public roads, streets and highways during a snow emergency.

To require sidewalks within the Township of Pine to be expeditiously cleared of snow and ice so as to facilitate safe pedestrian travel.

To prohibit the placing, casting, throwing or leaving of any object, including snow and/or ice, onto the cartway of any road, street or highway within the Township of Pine, so as to facilitate safe travel thereon.

§ 124-3 Definitions; word usage.

Words in the singular shall include the plural, and those in the plural shall include the singular.

Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the meanings herein indicated:

CARTWAY

The paved traveled portion of a road, street or highway.

PERSON

Any natural person, firm, copartnership, association or corporation, but excluding the Township of Pine.

SIDEWALK

Any concrete or asphalt pedestrian walkway, including all structures or appurtenances necessary, desirable or incidental to the installation and safe use of a sidewalk.

SNOW EMERGENCY

The period of time from commencement of any snow fall or other weather condition which causes snow removal or deicing procedures to be performed by state, county or Township forces on any public roads, streets or highways within the Township of Pine until four hours after the snow stops falling or until the conclusion of such snow removal or deicing procedures, whichever shall last occur.

VEHICLE

Every device which is or may be moved or drawn upon a road, street or highway.

§ 124-4 Prohibited activities.

It shall be unlawful for any person to park or to permit to be parked any vehicle which they own or for which they are responsible upon the cartway of any public road, street or highway within the Township of Pine during a snow emergency.

It shall be unlawful for any property owner and/or legal resident (excluding the Township of Pine) to allow snow or ice to remain on sidewalks fronting on or upon their property in excess of the time period specified in this paragraph, and it shall be the responsibility of such property owner and/or legal resident to clean or clear such sidewalks of snow and ice within 48 hours of the end of a snow emergency.

It shall be unlawful for any person to place, cast, throw or leave any object, including snow and/or ice, onto the cartway of any public road, street or highway within the Township of Pine.

§ 124-5 Enforcement; authorized removal and storage of vehicles; charges.

Any police officer of the Pine-Marshall-Bradfordwoods Joint Police Force who observes a violation of this chapter shall file a citation with the office of the District Magistrate against the person responsible for such violation. If so requested by the Township's Director of Public Works or his designee, any such police officer shall have any vehicle parked in violation of this chapter towed, at the owner's expense, from the cartway to the towed vehicles compound or to an approved storage garage.

Removal and impounding of vehicles under this chapter shall be done only by approved storage garages that shall be designated from time to time by the Township of Pine. Every such garage shall submit satisfactory evidence to the Township that it is bonded or has acquired liability insurance in an amount satisfactory to the Township as sufficient to indemnify owners of impounded and/or towed vehicles against loss or damage to those vehicles while in the custody of the garagekeeper or his agent for the purpose of towing or storage. The approved storage garage shall submit to the Township its schedule of charges for towing and storage of vehicles under this chapter and those charges shall be adhered to by the approved storage garage. No different schedule of charges shall be adopted without notice and approval of the Township, and no different charges shall be demanded of or collected from any person whose vehicle is removed or impounded under this chapter by any approved storage garage. The Township may delete from its list of approved storage garages any such garage that makes any unapproved charge in connection with any vehicle removed or impounded under this chapter.

§ 124-6 Violations and penalties.

Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a summary offense and be punishable by a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 or, in default of payment of such fine, by imprisonment for a period of not more than 30 days, or both. Each day of violation shall be considered a separate and distinct offense.