Township of Springfield, PA Chapter 117 Snow Emergencies; Snow Removal

[HISTORY: Adopted by Board of Commissioners of the Township of Springfield 1-9-1979 as Ord. No. 1004. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Vehicles and Traffic - See Ch. 138.

§ 117-1 Parking prohibited.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person, including the operator, lessee or owner of any vehicle, to park any vehicle or to allow any vehicle to remain parked on any public roadway, street or highway in the township as designated on the Plan of Snow Emergency Streets or where designated by signs so designating at any time after one hour of continuous snowfall.

B. During such time when the parking is prohibited as indicated in Subsection A above, no portion of any vehicle shall protrude onto the cartway.

C. Such prohibition of parking as detailed in Subsection A above shall remain in force until the snow has stopped falling or until snow removal operations have been completed, which ever occurs later.

§ 117-2 Accumulation of snow in certain lots prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for any owner of off-street parking facilities, such as lots for tenants in apartment houses, streets and lots for townhouse owners, motels and hotels, to permit the accumulation of snow after a continuous fall of one hour.

§ 117-3 Placement of snow in roadway prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for any person to place or have placed in the street any snow or ice being removed from the sidewalk and/or driveway portion of the property. The property owner or tenant shall be deemed responsible for any snow or ice found in the roadway.

§ 117-4 Violations and penalties.

Any person violating any of the provisions of §§ 117-1, 117-2 and 117-3, upon summary conviction before the local District Justice, shall be sentenced to pay a fine in the amount of $25 and the costs of prosecution and, in default of payment thereof, shall undergo imprisonment in the Delaware County Prison for a period of up to 10 days.

§ 117-5 Removal of vehicle; impoundment.

A. In addition to the foregoing, should the Police Department determine that the parking of a vehicle creates a threat to the safety of the community during the emergency, such vehicle may be removed and impounded by the township. In such case, said vehicle shall be stored in such storage areas and garages as are approved from time to time by the Board of Commissioners by resolution.

B. Within 12 hours from the time of the impounding of such vehicles or ascertainment by the Police Department as to the identity of the owner of such vehicle, notice of the fact that such vehicle has been impounded shall be sent by the Police Department to the owner of record of such vehicle, designating the place from which said vehicle was removed, the reason for its impounding and the place in which it has been impounded.

C. The payment of such charges assessed above, unless such payment shall be made under protest, shall be final and conclusive and shall constitute a waiver of any right to recover the money so paid by the owner of the motor vehicles so impounded. In the event that the towing and impounding charges are paid under protest, the offender shall be entitled to a hearing before a District Justice or a Court of Record having jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the owner of the impounding area or garage shall have a lien on the vehicle until the towing and storage charges are paid.

D. No vehicle shall be removed under the terms of this ordinance if, at the time of such intended removal, the owner or person in charge of such vehicle for the time being is present and expresses a willingness and intention to immediately remove said vehicle.