[Adopted 11-7-1996 by Ord. No. 1529 (Ch. 21, Part 4, of the
1986 Code of Ordinances)]
The owner of every property abutting upon any sidewalk in the
City of Washington is hereby required to keep such abutting sidewalk
at all times clean and in good order, free from soil, clay, stone,
gravel, grass and any other substance whatsoever which might interfere
with the free, convenient and safe use thereof, and at all times to
keep the grass, weeds and other vegetation on the space between the
curb and property line, in front, rear and along the sides thereof,
trimmed and at all times cut or mow the grass, weeds and other vegetation
on his respective lot, so that neither grass nor weeds shall rise
above the approximate height of six inches, and every such owner shall
remove said cuttings or mowings and all accumulation of rubbish or
other debris from said premises.
The owner of every property abutting upon any street or public
alley in the City of Washington is hereby required to remove or cause
to be removed from all sidewalks abutting upon such property all snow
and ice thereon fallen or formed within 12 hours after the same shall
cease to fall or to be formed, provided that snow and ice that has
ceased to fall or to be formed after 6:00 p.m. of any evening may
be removed at any time before 10:00 a.m. of the next morning.
In any case where the owner, as aforesaid, shall fail, neglect
or refuse to comply with any of the provisions of this article within
the time limit prescribed herein, the authorities of the City may
proceed immediately to clear all snow and/or ice from the sidewalk
of such delinquent and to collect expenses thereof, with any additional
amount allowed by law, from such owner, which may be in addition to
any fine or penalty imposed under this article.
It shall be unlawful for any person to dump or remove snow,
ice, grass or any other debris from any private property or structure
on to the sidewalks or streets of the City of Washington.
A.
Every property owner shall be required to keep the sidewalk region
safe and unobstructed for public travel at all times, this should
include, but is not limited to, any and all advertising or directional
signs placed on or about any person's property.
B.
Every contractor engaged in the construction, alteration or repair
of any building on or near the line of any street or alley or, in
case there be no contractor, then the owner of any such building shall
be required to keep the sidewalk adjoining such building at all times
safe and unobstructed for public travel.
C.
Included within this article will be the restrictions of persons
depositing throughout this City any and all dumpsters onto our sidewalk
regions. This will include those dumpsters utilized by contractors
to store refuse in when conducting certain acts of demolition and/or
remodeling throughout this City.[1]
Every contractor engaged in the construction on the line of
any street or public alley or within five feet thereof or, in case
there be no contractor, then the owner of said property may be required
to construct and/or maintain, during the operation of construction,
a substantial roof or covering over the sidewalk adjoining such property
sufficient, in the opinion of the Building Inspector, to protect persons
traveling upon such sidewalk.
From and after enactment of this article, no person shall sell,
store, exhibit or display any fruit, vegetables, hardware, dry goods,
notions or any goods, wares or merchandise whatsoever upon, over or
above any sidewalk on any public street or avenue within the limits
of the City of Washington, Pennsylvania, provided that goods, wares
and merchandise in process of delivery to or removal from any property
may, when necessary, be deposited upon the sidewalk adjacent to such
property, but the same shall be removed therefrom as speedily as may
be done, their kind and weight being considered; and provided, further,
that persons having their places of business on streets having sidewalks
of the width of 12 feet or greater may use and occupy the part of
said sidewalk immediately adjacent to the property line of their several
places of business for a width of three feet for display and advertisement
of their goods, wares and merchandise, and persons having their places
of business on streets having sidewalks of the width of 10 feet and
less than 12 feet may use and occupy the part of said sidewalk immediately
adjacent to the property line of their several places of business
for a width of two feet for the same purpose.
[Amended 12-7-2006 by Ord. No. 1766]
A.
Any individual, person, firm, corporation or other entity who shall
violate any provision of this article shall, upon being held liable
in any civil proceeding or upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to
pay a penalty, fine or charge of no less than $100 nor more than the
maximum amount permitted by law, but not to exceed $1,000, and in
default of payment or any failure to pay any fine or penalty, upon
a summary or other criminal conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment
for a period not to exceed 30 days, or both.
B.
Each day that a violation of this article shall continue shall constitute
a separate offense, subject to the fines, costs, penalties and charges
set forth above for each offense.
C.
Nothing herein shall limit, prevent or preclude the City of Washington
from taking any and all legal action or exercising any other remedy
available to the City by law, including but not limited to the initiation
of civil or criminal proceedings or injunctive relief, in order to
enforce or ensure compliance with this article. As an additional remedy,
the City of Washington may abate any nuisance, dangerous or hazardous
condition by any means permitted by law, which shall include but not
be limited to an action in the Court of Common Pleas of Washington
County, Pennsylvania, for injunctive relief; the use of any City of
Washington personnel, equipment and materials or that of an authorized
agent or contractor hired by the City to remove or abate any nuisance,
dangerous or hazardous condition, and with all costs thereof or related
thereto to be charged against the property owner(s) and/or person
or entity who has violated the article or portion thereof; said costs
shall include all actual costs and expenses, including all costs of
collection and reasonable administrative costs of the City, incurred
in enforcing the provisions of the article.
