Ordinance results in blizzard of cash

By MATTHEW REZAB
m.rezab@beeherald.com

The onset of spring will not only save Jefferson residents on heating bills, but possibly parking ticket costs as well.

The Jefferson Police Department this winter issued 65 tickets for Emergency Snow Ordinance violations with fines totaling $3,770, or $58 each.

Last fall at the request of the police department, the Jefferson city council removed the “from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.” language from the Emergency Snow Ordinance. At the time, police said the logistics of only enforcing the code during the day made their jobs more difficult and the regulation less effective in keeping the streets clear for snow removal.

Jefferson city code 69.10 states, “No person shall park, abandon or leave unattended any vehicle on any public street, alley, or city-owned off-street parking area from the time there has been an accumulation of one-half inch of snow until the snow has ceased to fall and has been removed or plowed from said street, alley or parking area.”

Provisions for multiple streets only apply between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m.

Police Chief Mark Clouse said he believes residents are given ample time to move their vehicles when it snows.

“Even though the ordinance goes into effect at 1/2 inch, we do not issue citations until after the vehicle has actually been plowed around,” Clouse said. “We feel this gives even extra time to remove your vehicle from the streets.”

Clouse said the amended ordinance was necessary because snow can fall at any time of day.

“If the city crews need to remove snow from the roadway during daytime hours, vehicles need to be moved,” he said. “They can not effectively clear the streets if they are going around vehicles.”

Violators receive a citation for a first-offense, but vehicles will be towed if the code is violated again, Clouse said.

The ordinance is in effect from 2 to 6 a.m. in the town square to allow for business to continue during the day and removal to happen overnight.

“We have to allow crews to clean our business district and they can not do so around parked vehicles,” Clouse said.

Clouse said the most common complaint he has heard over the years about receiving a snow ticket has been, “Why can’t you guys just ask us to move our vehicles?”

“Obviously we can not do this,” he said. “Most times violations occur overnight and they would not want us waking them up to move their vehicle. And we have told them in the media, etc. each year at the beginning of the season how the ordinance works.”

The Emergency Snow Ordinance is still in effect and citations will continue to be written if Jefferson sees more snowfall this spring.