JACKSON — When next winter’s snow storms hit Jackson, residents will have to be mindful of where their cars are parked following the adoption of an amended ordinance by the Township Council.
On March 24, council members amended existing sections of the municipal code in order to make snow removal efforts easier to undertake.
According to the ordinance, the mayor or the township’s emergency management coordinator now has the authority to declare and to rescind a snow removal emergency, as well as to designate emergency areas where residents may park their cars.
Previously, Jackson officials designated streets on which residents were not allowed to park their vehicles during a storm when the use of snow plows was necessary. The amendments deleted that list of streets from the code book.
The revisions state that residents will have four hours from the issuance of a snow removal emergency declaration to move their vehicles from all streets and roads in Jackson.
Following the four-hour window, any vehicles that remain parked on the streets will be subject to ticketing and towing. The vehicle’s registered owner will bear responsibility for paying the towing fees and the fines.
All sports equipment and trash cans must be removed from Jackson’s streets in the event of a snow removal emergency.
In recent years, municipal officials have examined ways in which snow removal can be made more efficient and safer for snow plow operators and residents.
Under the ordinance, individuals who are found to be in violation of the ordinance will now face a $60 fine for the first offense and a $120 fine for the second offense. For the third offense and subsequent offenses, violators will face a $250 fine and a maximum of 90 days of community service or imprisonment.