EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK
By Ruth Luse
This time the area forecast in the Old Farmer’s Almanac was dead wrong. For the period of Jan. 21-25, the well-regarded booklet said: "rain, mild."
For Region 2, the Atlantic Corridor, the period beginning Wednesday (yesterday) and running through Monday, the book says: "sunny, then rain." Let’s hope so, because only polar bears, winter sports enthusiasts and children who don’t want to go to school could love the frigid temperatures, wind, snow and ice that this past weekend brought us.
February, says the book, should average 32 degrees and precipitation, 5 inches (2 inches above average). From Feb. 1-5, it should be "warm, sunny and then rain"; from Feb. 6-8, "snow, heavy" in more southern areas; Feb. 9-11, "sunny"; Feb. 12-18, "rain, then sunny"; Feb. 19-22, "rain and snow, then sunny"; and Feb. 23-28, a "Northeaster."
The book also says that through mid-February, weather "will not be too severe, but cold temperatures and heavy snow in late winter will mean a colder- and snowier-than-normal season." Cold periods will occur "from late February until the first day of spring. Significant snowfalls will occur in early and late February, and early March."
With memories of the storm that just left us and with the Almanac’s suggestion that the rest of the winter might be worse than usual, we remind readers of the snow removal rules that take effect in our communities when storms with several inches of snow accumulation do arrive.
The following is a synopsis of snow removal laws on the books in our three towns:
IN HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, where the first snow removal law went on the books in May 2003, the 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 ordinance, the township could remove snow from the sidewalks of those who have failed to comply with the ordinance and the cost of the removal could become a lien on the property. There is no schedule of fines in the ordinance.
This law was the result of a recommendation from township Engineer Paul Pogorzelski, who said failure to clear sidewalks of snow in the Brandon Farms development had created a safety hazard for children walking to and from Stony Brook Elementary School. He said the best course of action was to formalize regulations by enacting legislation.
So by winter of 2003-2004 Hopewell Township had joined Hopewell Borough and Pennington, which have had snow removal laws for years. The Hopewell Borough ordinance is enforced by Hopewell Township police, who cover that borough. Pennington has its own police department.
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IN HOPEWELL BOROUGH, the rules are:
Occupants and tenants of any property fronting on any street shall remove all snow and ice from abutting sidewalks to the curb or pavement edge … or in the event of ice (which may be so frozen as to make removal impracticable) shall cover it with sand, ashes or other material to provide traction, within 12 hours of daylight after snow has fallen or ice has formed. Sidewalks shall be cleared to a width of 3 feet or the entire width of the sidewalk, whichever is less.
No snow or ice accumulated on private property should be thrown, placed or deposited on any street or sidewalk.
If occupants or tenants do not comply with these requirements, mayor and council can cause obstructions to be removed. Costs could be changed against the lands abutting or bordering the sidewalks.
When snow has fallen and covers streets, no vehicle shall be parked on any street or roadway. Such prohibition will remain in effect after the snow has ceased and until streets have been plowed to the extent that parking will not interfere with the normal flow of traffic.
During this period, cars may be parked in any municipal parking yard including those behind Borough Hall and the railroad station.
Vehicles left parked or standing in violation of the law can be removed by the police and the owner shall pay reasonable costs for the removal and storage that may result. Costs are not spelled out.
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PENNINGTON’S snow ordinance prohibits parking on any street in the borough when snow has fallen and has accumulated to a depth of 2 inches or more.
Also prohibited when 2 or more inches of snow have fallen is parking in the municipal parking lot off North Main Street between 9 p.m. and midnight. These restrictions enable the Public Works Department to clear the parking lot and streets of snow.
In addition, sidewalks must be cleared of snow and/or ice within 12 hours of daylight after snow and/or ice has fallen.
Police will issue summonses to individuals in violation of the ordinances. The fine is $32 each time.
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It goes without saying that following these snow laws could save citizens and property owners money and make Hopewell Valley a much safer place to be during and after winter storms. We urge Valley residents to clip out the rules that apply to them and keep them in a prominent place until winter 2005 is over!

