[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Board of the Township of Grosse Ile 1-25-1999 by Ord. No. 254. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Parking Violations Bureau — See Ch. 183.
Traffic and parking — See Ch. 251.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 261.
[Amended 7-22-2002]
Whenever the Township Supervisor, Manager, Fire Chief/Police Chief, or designee of the Fire Chief/Police Chief, finds, on the basis of falling snow, sleet or freezing rain, or on the basis of a forecast by the United States Weather Bureau or other weather service, that weather conditions will make it necessary that motor vehicle traffic be expedited and that parking on streets within the Township be prohibited or restricted for snow plowing and other purposes, then said official or his designee shall declare a winter emergency and have this information broadcast by the local television and/or radio stations for public broadcast, or by loudspeakers or other broadcasting equipment, or by signs or personal notification. The winter emergency shall remain in effect for all Township streets and areas so designated within the Township for the period of time set by the Township or until the particular street or area has become substantially clear of snow and ice from curb to curb for the length of the entire block, whichever occurs first.
A. 
Once a winter emergency is declared, parking shall be prohibited on all streets within the Township and all Township municipal parking lots and areas so designated under this chapter until the winter emergency is terminated by announcement or until the particular street has become substantially clear of snow and ice from curb to curb for the length of the entire block.
B. 
Any owner of a motor vehicle which is parked on any street within the Township scheduled for snow removal during the winter emergency shall be responsible for a civil infraction.
Notice of the parking prohibition during a winter emergency shall be posted by appropriate signs on the two major streets which lead into the Township, and shall indicate that the prohibition applies to all streets within the Township which are scheduled for snow removal in the Township.
Any motor vehicle which is parked or left abandoned on any street within the Township or any Township owned parking lot in violation of this chapter may, at the direction of any of the individuals authorized to declare a winter emergency, be towed and impounded by the Police Department and no person shall recover any such motor vehicle without first paying for the cost of removal and storage. Any payments required by this section shall not be construed as a penalty so as to preclude prosecution for the civil infraction.
Whenever the Township Police Chief or his designee finds on the basis of falling snow, sleet or freezing rain, or on the basis of a forecast by the United States Weather Bureau or other weather service of snow, sleet or freezing rain that weather conditions will make it necessary that vehicular traffic be prohibited on any street within the Township until said street may be plowed, then the Police Chief or his designee may declare the closing of the applicable streets and have this information broadcast by the local television and/or radio stations for public broadcast, or by loudspeakers or other broadcasting equipment, or by signs or personal notification. The closing of the street shall remain in effect for the period of time declared by the Police Chief or his designee or until the particular street or area has become substantially clear of snow and ice from curb to curb for the length of the entire block, which ever occurs first.
No person shall blow, push, or dump snow into any street or public sidewalk. Any person who violates this section is responsible for municipal civil infraction and is also responsible for all costs incurred by the Township to remove the snow which the violator put onto the public sidewalk or street. These costs incurred by the Township are in addition to any fine imposed for said civil infraction.
The Police Chief or his designee may declare a curfew for the Township of Grosse Ile when as a result of the weather conditions a public emergency within the Township exists or reasonable apprehension of an immediate danger or when public safety is imperiled as a result of the weather conditions. The curfew would cover the time period of 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and no person would be allowed on the Township streets except those proceeding to and from work or answering emergency calls or who had special permission from the Township or other governmental authority.
No person shall blow, push or dump snow onto a fire hydrant. Any person who violates this section is responsible for a municipal civil infraction and in addition, is responsible for the costs of removing the snow put on the fire hydrant by the violator. The costs imposed under this chapter are in addition to any fine the violator will be responsible for under the civil infraction.
Any property owner or person who occupies property that is open to the public for business or public assembly is responsible to maintain a clearly plowed fire lane on the their property so that it is accessible to fire trucks. Any person or occupant or property owner who fails to comply with this section will be responsible for any costs incurred by the Township during any winter emergency to plow said fire lane. In the alternative, the Fire Chief or his designee is authorized to close down any business or public assembly if in his discretion it is necessary to do so during a winter emergency because the fire trucks would not be able to have access to that particular property in case of a fire.
[Amended 7-22-2002]
Penalties for violation of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, § 1-3. The provisions of Chapter 1, Article II, Municipal Civil Infractions, also apply to violations of this chapter.