New snow shovelling policy

[pjmorgan.livejournal.com]

I'm going to pick a fight in a passive aggressive way, if that is possible.

So Somerville fines if you shovel snow into the street??!!!
http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/news/x1689216222/Fines-set-for-Somervilles-non-shovelers

This is bogus on so many ways.

First of all, during the last storm, right after I shoveled my sidewalk and "shoveled" snow onto my sidewalk. Not just into my driveway (which I've come to expect). Can I fine the city for that?

So is this defined as into the middle of the street, or along the edges? Sometimes you have to shovel just a little bit into the first couple feet of the street. If someone shovels out their car, will that trigger it?

In general, I find it annoying that my real estate taxes go to clearing the roads (which I don't even use since I'm doing my part by not driving) so I guess I have a chip on my shoulder.

And hopefully I just don't understand the regulation. What is the definition of shoveling into the street that they are going off of?

Comments

[ron_newman]

When I shovel out corners (so that, for instance, people in wheelchairs and strollers can get onto the sidewalks), I throw the snow into the street. Where else could it go?

[turil.livejournal.com]

It's supposed to go anywhere you want to put it except the street or sidewalk. Most folks shovel the snow into their yard.

You should melt it!

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Bring out an electric heater or something :)

[veek.livejournal.com]

With you on wishing I could fine the city for doing some of the things for which it threatens to fine me! Not with you on the roads, though: hello, public transport.

[mrcairo.livejournal.com]

My problem is when I get the sidewalk nice and clear, and then the people who clear off their cars dump all the snow on my nicely cleared sidewalk. If I'm not vigilant, I suspect I'd get the fine for them clearing off their cars. That seems bogus to me.

[motive-nuance.livejournal.com]

When that happens to me I leave a very polite note on the windshield, signed with my name, address and phone number, reminding them that my purpose in shoveling the walk was not to provide a convenient place to put more snow. (I've yet to get a negative response to this tactic.)

[upsidown.livejournal.com]

Okay, I agree that some of this needs to be worked out more clearly. THAT SAID, as a pedestrian, it is really infuriating (let alone dangerous) when people do not shovel their sidewalks. I hope they can straighten the regulation out so that it's clear, but I also hope they fine a few repeat offenders (I'm looking at you, Mossland Street).

[squirrelitude]

Leave a note on their door. If they're renters, inform them that their landlord may be responsible for clearing the sidewalks. If the situation doesn't improve, report 'em.

[ratushebarl.livejournal.com]

One trouble with throwing snow into the street is that sometimes it hits people. I've been knocked off a bike by a well aimed shovelful. I don't think it was intentional, but it was rather an object lesson.

Agree on annoying people that take snow off their cars or whatever and onto cleared sidewalks. Last New Year's I was shoveling my sidewalk, and meanwhile my neighbor was shoveling her sidewalk...onto my sidewalk. WTF?

[rmd.livejournal.com]

the city website seems to make it difficult to find the actual bylaws/regulations.

[rozasharn.livejournal.com]

The spirit of the regulation is that you should not block the traffic lanes with sidewalk snow: that wastes the plows' work.

Plowing usually creates a ridge of snow spanning the edge of the sidewalk and the edge of the street. If you put your sidewalk-snow onto that ridge, you don't create any more traffic hazard than already existed. I've never gotten ticketed for doing it that way.

[jimmyfergus.livejournal.com]

Exactly. There are always places other than the street to throw your snow.

Think of the cyclists, or the near-miss between car and pedestrian which will turn into an actual accident by someone throwing their snow down on the road reducing the car's crip.

I'm frankly very surprised that anyone questions this law. It seems like common sense to me, and very obnoxious to break it.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Personally I think the city should just pay someone to shovel the sidewalks and be done with it. The current setup is dangerous, difficult to enforce, and often difficult to abide by (property owners on vacation, etc). If they can manage to plow the roads...

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

They actually do this in Montreal. It's amazing. But Montreal has longer winters than we do and their snow tends to be deeper, which makes it worthwhile for the city to buy narrow little snowplows (just about as wide as a sidewalk.)

[turil.livejournal.com]

Yes, this policy is one of the most illogical ever. Forcing certain individuals to be responsible for certain public throughways is just insane. Public land is supposed to be cared for by the government. That is their job.

Public land is government owned land, and taking care of it should be a government responsibility.

[ringrose.livejournal.com]

Is it possible that what you're looking for lies in http://library.municode.com/html/11580/level3/PII_C12_AI.html#PII_C12_AI_s12-9

Specifically, there it says you can shovel your snow or ice into the street provided "said snow or ice is broken up and spread evenly, to a thickness of no more than three inches, during daylight hours, when the mean temperature for that day is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit."

[turil.livejournal.com]

That's a horrible thing to do because it makes the street very slippery in one spot, which is even more dangerous because people aren't expecting it.

[motive-nuance.livejournal.com]

So here's my question. Are these penalties going to be enforced?

More than any city I've ever seen, Somerville has an ardent and relentless parking violation enforcement system. Most cities seem to use parking tickets as a way to make sure there will be available spaces, but the 'ville seems to treat it as a straightforward revenue generation exercise. As a non-car owner this affects me minimally, but it's been a mystery to me why they haven't been equally eager to collect their Danegeld from people who fail to clear their sidewalks in a timely manner.

[ringrose.livejournal.com]

Hard to tell. The thing about shoveling and not dumping on the street isn't at all new, but I don't know anyone who has complained about getting fined for it. I've seen people completely ignore the "not dumping on the street" clause on Hancock and on Elm near Davis Square.
But Somerville has stepped up enforcement of a number of things this year.

[pjmorgan.livejournal.com]

I had a typo; should have wrote that the snow plow shovelled snow back onto my sidewalk.

[turil.livejournal.com]

You can always edit the post...

[infinitemorning.livejournal.com]

You don't use the roads? Really? You never use public transportation? Ride your bike? Have something shipped to you? Cross a street, perhaps?

Whether you drive or not -- I don't -- the roads are pretty damn essential to our infrastructure. And it's not just about cars, either: roads have been essential to infrastructure since, hell, the days of ancient Rome. These days, we all chip in a bit to pay for them. I'm okay with it, personally.

(That said, snow plows throwing snow back on the sidewalk do annoy the hell out of me.)

More on the list:

[srakkt.livejournal.com]

* expect the fire truck to come to your home if it is in flames.
* expect an ambulance to come in the case of an emergency.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

I don't know, this rule doesn't seem onerous to me. You have a front yard, right? Shovel the snow there. It's not really that difficult.

[pjmorgan.livejournal.com]

Well, in my last house I didn't, so, no that was not a possibility.

In my current house, that would require hurtling the snow over a five foot fence. I don't think that should be required. Using a the edge of the sidewalk and the first couple feet of the street (or putting it all in one big pile to preserve parking spaces) should be allowable.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

First, my guess is that no one's going to call the cops on you for putting a little bit of snow of the street's edge.

Second, you have neighbors, right? Where do they put their snow? Put your snow there.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

Earlier this week I saw someone digging out her car and carefully carrying each shovelful thirty feet or so to the nearest storm drain. I was impressed.

[squirrelitude]

That's not necessarily an improvement. Once the snow starts to melt, pools of meltwater form at the corners and can't get to the drains. Adding snow to the drain worsens this.

Here's one innovative solution I saw: http://imgur.com/iqCL7 http://imgur.com/4uPxf

[masswich.livejournal.com]

I think that it would be difficult or impossible for the City to enforce this law for people clearing public sidewalks in front of their homes and putting a little of the snow on the street out of the travel lanes.

Hopefully the basic message is - don't be a jerk about where you put your snow. If its from your driveway don't dump it in the street on on the sidewalk. If its from the sidewalk don't throw it in the middle of the street.

Let's at least hope this isn't a revenue-enhancing exercise but an effort to get people to be civil when it snows.

I too wish the city would clear all the sidewalks but are we all willing to pay the tax (and by basic economics, rent) increases that would have to follow? I'd rather see the $$$ go to the schools.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

I thought this was already a policy? You're always supposed to clear your walk. Civic duty. Not sure what the big deal is.

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

Since we are on the topic....

Is the city even enforcing the whole "you must shovel your sidewalk" thing? I walk to work everyday and I have to say...not so good...especially on/near Tufts Property.

Report them to 311.

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Really, call 311 and report the address. Some sections of the sidewalk are covered with ice and snow (especially spots in the shade).