[HISTORY: Adopted by the Municipal Council
of the Municipality of Norristown 4-1-2014 by Ord. No. 14-05.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided
for the repeal of former Ch. 270, Snow and Ice Removal, adopted 5-2-2006
by Ord. No. 06-03, as amended.
The owner, tenant or person in charge of every property in the
Municipality of Norristown shall remove or cause to be removed all
snow and/or ice accumulations along the entire length of any sidewalk
fronting or abutting said premises within 24 hours after the precipitation
has ceased to fall or form. Such pathway shall be not less than 30
inches in width and shall be thoroughly cleared of snow, ice or other
obstruction.
Any employee of the Municipality may be designated as an enforcement officer charged with enforcing this chapter and is hereby authorized and empowered to immediately issue a written ticket to the owner, tenant or person in charge of any such lot, place or area within the Municipality of Norristown found to be in violation of § 270-1 of this chapter.
A.
Should the owner of a property fail to abate the hazard within 24 hours after the snow or ice has ceased to fall or form, any municipal employee or qualified third-party contractor engaged by the Municipality is hereby authorized and empowered to immediately enter onto a property and bring the lot into compliance with § 270-1.
B.
When the removal of the snow or ice has been accomplished by an employee
or agent of the Municipality as provided, the actual cost thereof,
plus interest at the rate of 10% per annum from the date of the completion
of the work, shall be charged to and paid by the owner of such property.
C.
If unpaid by the owner after 30 days of the issuance of notice to
pay the costs of snow or ice removal, the cost of removal as provided
shall also constitute a lien upon the real property from which the
snow and/or ice has been removed and shall be recoverable by the Municipality
as municipal liens and claims are recoverable.
Any person, firm or corporation violating § 270-1 of this chapter shall be subject to the following procedure:
A.
The municipal official shall issue a written ticket to the owner
of the property which shall provide for a penalty in an amount to
be established by resolution of the Municipal Council and which may
be amended from time to time by resolution of the Council. If this
penalty is paid within seven days of its issue and the condition that
warranted the issuance of the ticket is abated within the time allotted,
then this discharges the violation.
B.
If the violator does not pay the required penalty provided for in this chapter within seven days, and/or does not abate the hazard within the allotted time period, then an appropriate municipal official shall cause a non-traffic citation to be issued in the court of local jurisdiction and, if necessary, abate the hazard in accordance with § 270-3.
C.
The non-traffic citation shall be forwarded to and adjudicated by
a Magisterial District Judge of the Municipality. If found guilty
of the violation, the violator shall be sentenced to pay a fine of
no less than $300 nor more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution,
plus reasonable attorneys' fees of the Municipality to enforce
this chapter.
D.
Each day the violator continues to violate this chapter shall constitute
a separate offense. In default of payment of said fine and costs,
the violator may be imprisoned in the county jail for a term of not
more than 30 days.
