With the first significant snowfall happening in Mount Vernon and Lisbon Tuesday, Dec. 28, the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department reminded citizens of the ordinances involving snow and inclement weather.
Mount Vernon-Lisbon police chief Doug Shannon noted that the reminders are being made to be proactive and get the word out on the ordinances.
“There are a couple issues we get complaints on every year,” Shannon said. “One is cars left abandoned on streets or city lots for more than 48 hours. The other is residdents or contractors plowing snow into the street or property other than their own. Both are violations and cause additional work for city staff.”
One of the significant changes this year was several new snow emergency routes that were established in the fall.
Those snow emergency routes in Mount Vernon include all Palisades Road West in Mount Vernon from Hwy. 1 to Willow Creek Road, 15th Avenue to Third Street SW, Third Street Southeast, and Candlestick Drive NE, Wolfe Lane, B Avenue NE, Ashton Drive NE and Seventh Street NE.
If there is an accumulation of snow or ice of more than two inches on any public street or a snow emergency is declared, it is unlawful for a car to remain parked along a designated snow route.
According to the Mount Vernon snow route ordinance 69.10, “Each consecutive hour during one calendar day that a vehicle is parked or allowed to remain on a snow route in violation of this section shall be a separate and distinct offense. The first offense shall terminate one hour after the time a ticket charging said offense is issued, which time shall be noted on the ticket and a separate and new offense shall occur during each one-hour period thereafter.”
In the City of Lisbon, emergency snow routes include East Main Street from city limits to Washington Street; West Main Street from Washington Street to the western city limits; North Jackson Street from south of Fifth Avenue to the north line of East Main Street; South Jackson Street from the north line of Cemetery Road to the south line of East Main Street; North Washington Street from the northern corporate limits to the intersection with Main Street and South Washington Street from the southern city limits to the intersection of Main Street; the entirety of Business 30 and West South Street from South Washington Street to Jefferson Street.
No vehicle should be parked along an emergency snow route until snow removal operations have been completed for the entire width of the streets.
Further, during snow emergencies in Lisbon, it is prohibited to park on streets between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m., as it impacts snow removal capabilities of the city. Vehicles who are parked on city streets in violation of Ordinance 69.11 will be cited for violation and may be towed by police officers to a place where the vehicle may be lawfully parked. The costs of towing shall be assessed to the operator or owner of the vehicle.
Vehicles should also be moved every 48 hours if they are parked along the streets or in city parking lots in Mount Vernon or Lisbon, to help city crews remove snow from those areas as well.
When it comes to removing snow from sidewalks, Mount Vernon Ordinance 136.03 outlines that property owners have 48 hours to remove snow or ice accumulations on their sidewalks. If the property owner does not do so within 48 hours, the City may do so and assess the costs against the property owner for collection in the same manner as a property tax.
The department also reminds citizens snow should never be pushed into the traveled portion of a street that would “obstruct gutters, or impede the passage of vehicles upon the street or alley or to create a hazardous condition therein.”
Mount Vernon has also established that Third Avenue North from First Street to Fourth Street is designated as a snow sledding hill during winter months, as stated in City Ordinance Chapter 76. Snow sledding is permitted on Third Avenue North Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police department reminds of weather related ordinances
January 6, 2022
Downtown Lisbon, as seen on Sunday, Jan. 2, is one of the designated emergency snow routes in the City of Lisbon, and parking in downtown is prohibited from 2 to 6 a.m. to help snow removal. The MVLPD is reminding citizens of weather-related ordinances after the first significant snowfalls in the area.
About the Contributor
Nathan Countryman, Editor
Nathan Countryman is the Editor of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.