By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
The Village of Oxford adopted a new snow and ice removal ordinance, according to the village’s website.
The ordinance governs timely and proper snow removal, establishes fines, allows for cost recovery in favor of the village and is made up of five sections. The sections are sidewalks, accumulation, failure to clear sidewalks, obstruction of Vision; deposit on roadway and other prohibitions, violations and enforcement.
Sidewalks
This section states the lawful occupants or owner of any properties adjoining any village street is responsible for timely removal of snow and ice from all sidewalks adjoining the properties.
Accumulation
According to the accumulation section, naturally falling snow and accumulating ice must be removed by sidewalks by 7 p.m. the day after it ceases accumulating or falling. Each property may receive one warning per snow season, Oct. 1 through March 31, for failing to do so.
Failure to clear sidewalks
If owners do not remove snow or ice from sidewalks withing the given time frame, or allow snow or ice to accumulate on sidewalks in violation of the ordinance, the village manager may get the snow and ice removed.
The owner will then owe the village the full expense of the removal plus 15% for inspection and related costs, according to the ordinance. This debt may be collected as any other debt to the village, including by imposing a lien on the property. Amounts sue to the village under these provisions will accrue interest at 12% per annum, or the highest interest rate then allowed by law.
Obstruction of Vision; Deposit on Roadway and Other Prohibitions
No one may remove accumulated snow or ice onto a roadway, to a location where the snow or ice is located within three feet of a fire hydrant, onto the shoulder of any roadway, or into any alley in a way that obstructs a driver’s vision, or cause it to be removed in this way.
The ordinance also says a person may not deposit snow or ice onto or across the shoulder of any roadway or alley in a way that obstructs a driver’s “safety vision” – defined as “an unobstructed line of sight which enables a driver of a motor vehicle to travel on, enter on or exit a roadway in a safe manner.”
Violations
Those who violate the provisions is responsible for a municipal civil infraction, and is subject to pay a civil fine between $25 and $500, plus costs and other sanctions for each infraction.
The first offense of any snow season will result in a $25 fine, with each day a violation continues being deemed as an additional and distinct violation.
The second offense will automatically be set at $50, and any additional offense will be set at $75.
Enforcement
The Code Enforcement Officer and police department will enforce the ordinance.
Snow and Ice Removal Ordinance 409 repealed and replaced Village Ordinance 408, which was created in 2018.