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

[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.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

Yes actually I do expect you to shovel over the fence. When I park my car in front of house which has a fence on its front yard and I'm digging my car out, I shovel the snow over the fence. Otherwise it just becomes the never ending game of resident pushes the snow on to the street, city pushes it back onto the sidewalk, resident pushes it back onto the street, city pushes it back on the sidewalk and nothing ever gets clear.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Um, a normal human being really can't shovel heavy snow over a 5 foot fence. That's kind of a superhuman feat. Lower fences, such as those chain link types that are so common, are a little better.

[cheeseydreams.livejournal.com]

Pick up less snow with the shovel. Easier to fling over a 5' fence. It may take longer, but it's just as effective.

[squirrelitude]

You're not supposed to shovel heavy loads. (This is a lesson I just learned down in Virginia, where we had a 2 foot snowfall.) Slice a couple inches off each time, and your back will thank you.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

The rules, by the way, are that you need to clear a three foot wide path, not clear the entire sidewalk, so if your sidewalk is wider than three feet you can leave some on the edges. (Yes I realize that some Somerville sidewalks are narrower)

[gookalockgeek.livejournal.com]

haha, what? you think everyone in somerville has a front yard? take a drive down broadway sometime.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

No I don't think that. I was perfectly ready for pjmorgan to say, no, you idiot, I don't and that's why it's an issue. I'm actually not quite sure where the city expects you to put your snow if you have a narrow sidewalk and no front yard, but fortunately most of the houses without yards are on the broader streets.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

I'm actually not quite sure where the city expects you to put your snow if you have a narrow sidewalk and no front yard

It's not the city's problem - they don't give a flip.