Sidewalk Shoveling Bylaw Not Yet Ready for Weekend Snow 'Storm'

For those who opposed Belmont's newest bylaw requiring homeowners to lug out their shovels and clear their walks of snow after the white stuff falls, you will have reason to rejoice. 

When the season's first measurable snow fall comes this weekend, you can relax and watch it accumulate without fear of being nicked as a shoveling scafflaw due to the pile of year-end paperwork at the state's Attorney General's office.

Belmont Town Administrator David Kale confirmed to Belmont Patch on Thursday, Dec. 12, that Attorney General Martha Coakley has yet to give her final OK to the town's new bylaws – the snow removal measure as well as a demolition delay article – approved by the special Town Meeting on Nov. 5. 

Under state law, Coakley has up to 90 days to review if the local bylaws' pass state constitution muster. 

"[Coakley] has not yet approved the bylaw," said Kale who said town officials had requested the AG's office to expedite the process as winter approached.

"They said they would try to sign off on the bylaws but I now suspect that we will not see that happen until early January," said Kale.

"Therefore, there is no official bylaw in Belmont as of today that requires residents to shovel their sidewalks after this pending [storm]," said Kale.

The AG's inaction comes just as Belmont and the region is about to be hit by the first true snow event of the season.    

The National Weather Service said on Thursday morning that there’s a “high probability for a winter storm” that will bring at least six inches of snow to Southern New England on Saturday and into Sunday.

NWS forecasters predict that northwest and west of Boston could get more than six inches of heavy snow, while Boston, the coastline and points south will get a rain/snow mix that may mean six inches of snow before changing over to rain.

Meanwhile, 7News is predicting 6 to 9 inches west of Boston; 3-6 inches Boston, North Shore and east of Route 95 south of Boston; and 1-3 inches on the Cape and the Islands.

7News’ Jeremy Reiner said the weekend storm hasn’t even formed yet, but he expects: 

• The first flakes will hit between 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday.
• Snow and mixed precipitation will be heavy Saturday evening into Sunday morning.
• Travel will be difficult from Saturday evening through midday Sunday.
• The storm should leave the area around 2 p.m. Sunday.