snow removal

County Rolls Out Snow Removal Guidance, Reporting Form

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 4:00 p.m.) As the Washington area prepares for the first actual, bona fide snowfall of the season tomorrow, Arlington County has revealed some additional guidance for how it intends to enforce its new snow removal ordinance.

The ordinance calls for snow and ice to be removed from sidewalks within 24 to 36 hours of precipitation ending.

The chief means for enforcement of the ordinance will, essentially, be neighbors tattling on each other, via a new web-based reporting form.

Citizens will fill in the address of the problem area, refining it as necessary by clicking on a map. Then they will select from four preset “concerns” — either a concerns about the street or a sidewalk. Finally, users will type in their name and — optionally — contact information (for follow-ups, not for public dissemination) and press a submit button.

The complaint will go to county staff, who will review it and dispatch code enforcement agents as necessary.

According to Deputy County Manager Marsha Allgeier, enforcement agents will, at first, “try to give notification and warning” in lieu of the $50-$100 fine called for in the ordinance.

“They will try to find the entity that would be responsible for that sidewalk and try to make contact with that person to say ‘do you know we have a new ordinance?'” she said. Allgeier added that the county will specifically target “high-traffic and high-density areas” for enforcement.

The goal, officials say, is voluntary compliance.

“We will remain flexible, and use a good dose of common sense along the way,” said County Manager Barbara Donnellan. “We are hoping for a very light snow year, but nonetheless, our implementation plan is ready.”

Elderly and disabled individuals physically incapable of removing snow from their sidewalks will be exempt from the ordinance. For now, county staff will determine exempt status by contacting the homeowner directly; no exemption list will be maintained.

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Snowblower Decision Could Be Reached This Week

By ARLnow.com

The county’s snowblower loan program is at a crossroads. Should it expand to meet greatly increased demand, or simply stick with its existing fleet of ten snowblowers?

Yesterday a plurality of readers said the program should simply be dismantled. But that seems unlikely, given the county board’s expressed support for the program on Saturday.

Susan Kalish, spokesperson for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, says the county has gotten a “deluge” of snowblower requests this year and will likely be deciding this week whether to purchase additional machines.

With more requests than snowblowers, Kalish explained how the county decides whose requests will be granted.

“Priority for the snow blowers is based on area to be blown (big area, high-traffic area, or both) and the group (got enough volunteers to make sure it’s done, have a track record of getting the job done),” she said.

For more information about the snowblower program, residents can contact Tom Mitchler at tmitchler[at]arlingtonva.us or call 703-228-6522.

Board Approves Snow Removal Ordinance, ART Fare Hike

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Board approved a controversial snow removal ordinance on Saturday by a vote of 4-1. Board chairman Jay Fisette cast the lone ‘no’ vote, calling the hefty penalties in the ordinance “overkill.”

The board also passed a fare hike for the county’s ART and STAR buses. The base ART bus fare will increase from $1.25 to $1.50.

Additionally, the board approved a zoning change that will allow Army-Navy Country Club to build a sprawling new four-story clubhouse with views of Washington, D.C. As part of the zoning change, the club will allow an emergency access road to be constructed through its 254 acre grounds. The road, which will connect the Arlington Views neighborhood near Columbia Pike with Army Navy Drive near Pentagon City, will also be open to bicyclists and pedestrians.

For more information, see the county press releases on the snow removal ordinance, the transit fare hike and the Army-Navy clubhouse.

Cold Reception for Snow Removal Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

County officials were there to listen. And thanks to the myriad of concerns expressed by residents, there was plenty of listening to do.

At an informal public forum on Arlington’s proposed snow removal ordinance, a group of about 30 residents took turns dissecting every possible facet of the two-page statute.

The proposed ordinance legally mandates that home and business owners clear snow from their sidewalks and prohibits the dumping snow on streets and other public property. A violation would theoretically be greeted with a $100 fine and, if necessary, a bill for the cost of hiring a private contractor to clear the stretch of sidewalk in question.

But what may seem straightforward actually generated a slew of questions:

  • Why shouldn’t the county face the same stringent snow removal standards for public property?
  • Wouldn’t this place an unfair burden on certain residents in areas where only one side of the street has a sidewalk?
  • Would you be violating the ordinance by clearing snow off a car that’s parked in the street?
  • What if residents are traveling?  Since they’ll know your house is unoccupied, is it safe to hire someone to clear the sidewalk while you’re gone?
  • Where do you put the snow if you don’t have a front yard?
  • What sort of recourse do you have if a county plow deposits snow onto your freshly-shoveled sidewalk?

Those last two questions were the most controversial — and the most commonly asked.

“Giving the county the authority and ability to fine me for not shoveling my sidewalk is a really bad idea,” one man said. “We worked really hard to shovel our sidewalk all the way around, and then the county came along and plowed it over. They were the worst offenders during this winter.”

The county should figure out where residents can lawfully place the snow before enacting the ordinance, another resident said. “For me, the fundamental issue is: tell me where the snow goes.”

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To Do Tonight

By ARLnow.com

There are several very good options for people who want to get out of their house or apartment and do something tonight:

  • The new Siena Park luxury apartment building (2301 Columbia Pike) its celebrating its grand opening with an “Art of Living Well” event from 7:00 to 9:00, featuring food and FREE beer and wine tastings from a number of local restaurants, including: Twisted Vines, Rocklands Barbeque, Caribbean Breeze Restaurant, Extra Virgin, Rock Bottom,Tthe Melting Pot and others. There will also be live music, an appearance by artist J.D. Miller, and — of course — tours of the apartments.
  • Put on your best “O” face and go to the Bi-Annual TPS Report Managers Meeting at Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike). The “meeting” is actually an Office Space movie festival with trivia, impersonation and costume contests. The festivities start at 7:00 with theme music. The movie starts at 8:30.
  • Finally, for the civic-minded, Arlington County will hold an informal public forum on the snow removal ordinance at 7:00 p.m. The forum will take place at 3033 Wilson Blvd, rooms 7E-7F. Staffers will explain the proposed ordinance and answer questions.

As always, see our events calendar for lots more to do this weekend.

Arlington Considers Snow Removal Lessons From Neighbors

By ARLnow.com

In 2004, the city of Hagerstown charged an 86-year-old woman $223 for not clearing her sidewalk after a snowstorm. That same year, the city of Frederick, Md. sent snow removal bills to the state-run Maryland School for the Deaf and to an elderly couple confined to walkers.

The Hagerstown incident caused a “public outcry” that forced the city to ease up on enforcement, the Associated Press reported at the time. A photo of the elderly couple in Frederick, which ran in a local newspaper, is a classic study in bad PR.

Arlington is now considering a snow removal ordinance similar to the statutes in place in Hagerstown and Frederick. The proposed ordinance has garnered headlines like “Arlington Proposes Criminal Charges for Unneighborly Snow Shovelers” and “Arlington Says Clear Your Sidewalks or Pay Up.” Clearly, history risks repeating itself.

County officials, however, say they’ve been trying to learn from our neighbors.

“Staff reviewed numerous jurisdictions that have ordinances or conditions that govern sidewalk snow removal,” says Arlington County transportation planning chief Thomas Bruccoleri.

Among the jurisdictions studied:

  • The City of Alexandria requires property owners to clear sidewalks within 24 hours. Alexandria’s ordinance assesses a $50 civil penalty, but only after written notice has been issued.
  • Loudoun County requires property owners to clear sidewalks within 6 hours. People with physical or mental disabilities, and people over the age of 65, are exempted. The county provides written notice and has not had to issue fines due to high compliance. Like Arlington’s proposed ordinance, Loudoun can assess a fine of up to $250, which is a class 4 misdemeanor.
  • Fairfax County does not have a sidewalk snow removal ordinance.

Arlington is set to hold a public hearing on a permanent snow removal ordinance on Saturday, June 12.

The proposed ordinance would require residential and commercial property owners to clear snow from sidewalks 24-36 hours after snow stops falling. It would make it a misdemeanor to shovel snow onto public property, including streets and bus stops.

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Weekend News Roundup

By ARLnow.com

Heavy Rains Bring Flooding — Persistent, often heavy rain made for a miserable weekend weather-wise. But the real misery is happening in nearby Alexandria, where part of Old Town is under more than a foot of water. More from NBC4.

Board Passes Temporary Snow Removal Ordinance — The Arlington County Board passed a 60-day emergency snow removal ordinance by a vote of 3-2. Dissenting board members Jay Fisette and Barbara Favola joined the Arlington Chamber of Commerce in questioning why an ordinance should be rushed into law, saying it will be difficult to enforce in the unlikely event that Arlington gets a significant snowfall between now and May.

Arlington Diocese Declares Monday a Day of Prayer — Bishop Paul Loverde says Arlington Catholics should pray and fast today (Monday) to ask God for passage of a health care bill that does not “come at the expense of the respect for life at all stages, from natural conception to natural death.” More from LifeSiteNews.

County Passes Temporary Snow Removal Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Board voted this morning to enact an emergency snow removal ordinance. The measure is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 60 days.

The ordinance requires businesses to clear sidewalks in commercial districts after a snowfall of more than two inches. This is the first time that Arlington has enacted such a requirement. It does not apply to residential areas or to persons over the age of 65.

The ordinance, sponsored by board vice chairman Chris Zimmerman, assesses a fine of up to $100 for non-compliance. It passed by a vote of 3 to 2.

Dissenting board members questioned the need to enact a temporary ordinance just before the start of spring, when significant snowfall is unlikely. The Arlington Chamber of Commerce also opposed the emergency measure.

The board will discuss a permanent ordinance in April.

Weekend News Roundup

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Police Make Arrest in Abduction Case — A Marine based at Fort Myer’s Henderson Hall has been arrested and charged with abduction and robbery. Jorge “George” Torrez, 21, is accused of robbing and trying to abduct a woman from the 1700 block of N. Quincy Street on February 10. Torrez is also a suspect in the abduction of a woman from the 600 block of N. Wakefield St. in Ballston early Saturday morning, according to Arlington police. The woman was found raped and left for dead in Prince William County after an extensive search by several law enforcement agencies. More from the Washington Post.

Planes Clip Wings at Reagan National Airport — Two US Airways were involved in a minor collision while on the tarmac at Reagan National Saturday morning. Nobody was injured, but both planes were taken out of service and passengers were booked on other flights. More from ABC7.

Arlington Spent $5 Million on Snow Removal — Arlington County spent $5 million on snow removal this winter, five times the normal snow removal budget. No word yet on how much of the budget went to the contractors who helped keep streets passable during February’s big snow storms. More from the Sun Gazette.

UPDATE: County Board to Consider Emergency Snow Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Board will consider an emergency snow removal ordinance at its March meeting, one week before the first day of spring. The board also directed itself to draft language for a permanent ordinance, for consideration at the board’s April meeting.

The measures were proposed by board member Chris Zimmerman, who cited numerous examples of snow still covering sidewalks on busy Arlington streets.

Board chairman Jay Fisette and board member Barbara Favola voted, unsuccessfully, to remove consideration of the temporary ordinance from Zimmerman’s resolution.

Favola questioned whether the temporary measure is necessary, given the low chance of significant snowfall after March 13. She said that while she would support a permanent ordinance that has received community input.

Acting county manager Barbara Donnellan cautioned that vetting the emergency ordinance on short notice will require county staff to be diverted from other projects. She also said it would be difficult to notify Arlington businesses of the proposed change in policy.

The proposed emergency ordinance, which will be voted on at the March 13 board meeting, requires property owners in commercial districts to clear snow from walkways bordering their businesses within 24 hours of snowfall ending. It would be put into effect for a period of 60 days.

Despite the objections of Favola and Fisette to the emergency ordinance, Zimmerman’s resolution passed unanimously.

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Snow Being Plowed from W&OD Trail

By ARLnow.com

To help speed up the work already being done by mother nature, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority says it will be plowing the remaining snow from the W&OD trail this week. People Powered Arlington has more details.

On a related note, snow and downed tree branches are apparently still a major problem on Theodore Roosevelt Island’s trails. Check out the photos on We Love DC.

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