Introduced by the Hopewell Township Committee March 20, the measure is scheduled for a public hearing and adoption vote at tonight’s meeting.
By John Tredrea
Snow would have be removed from sidewalks within 24 hours of the time it has stopped falling under a proposed Hopewell Township ordinance that could be enacted tonight.
Introduced by a unanimous Township Committee vote March 20, the measure is scheduled for a public hearing and adoption vote at tonight’s Hopewell Township Committee meeting.
The proposed ordinance comes at the recommendation of township engineer Paul Pogorzelski, who says the failure to clear sidewalks of snow in the Brandon Farms development created a safety hazard this winter for children walking to and from Stony Brook Elementary School.
The Hopewell Valley Regional School District’s fourth elementary school, Stony Brook, opened in September. It is on Stephenson Road in Brandon Farms.
During the March 20 Committee meeting, Mr. Pogorzelski said that, on a regular basis, "over a dozen" sidewalks used by school children, including kindergartners, have not been cleared after snowstorms. "It’s become a safety issue," he said.
The township engineer said he always had gotten quick action on clearing the sidewalks after contacting the Brandon Farms homeowners groups. Still and all, he feels it would be best if the township had an ordinance requiring snow removal from sidewalks. Both Pennington and Hopewell boroughs have had such ordinances for years. The Hopewell Borough ordinance is enforced by the township police, which covers that borough. Pennington has its own police department.
The proposed ordinance requires the owner or tenant of any property with frontage on any public street to remove snow from the sidewalk along that frontage within 24 hours of the time snow has stopped falling. The ordinance also applies to the owners of private streets and to property owners’ associations in charge of such streets.
Under the proposed ordinance, the township can remove snow from the sidewalks of those who have failed to comply with the ordinance, then bill the property owner for the work. There is no schedule of fines in the proposed ordinance. After discussing the matter March 20, the committee decided to try it without the fines first, reasoning that fines could be added later if necessary.