Hoboken Snow Shoveling: Who Is Responsible, When Does It Need To Happen?

HOBOKEN, NJ — As the winter months close their icy grip on the Hudson County region, many Hoboken residents will find themselves facing one of December’s most-dreaded chores: shoveling snow.

Here are a few points to keep in mind as you grab those shovels, Hoboken. According to the township code:

• The owner or occupant or person having charge of any dwelling house, store or other building or lot of ground in the City shall, within the first six hours after every fall of snow or hail, or after the formation of any ice upon the sidewalks, unless the ice is covered with sand or ashes, cause the snow and ice to be removed from the sidewalk abutting such dwelling house, store, building or lot of land, cause the snow and ice to be removed from the sidewalk abutting such dwelling house, store, building or lot of land, clearing a traversable walkway so that a minimum of four feet or 2/3 of the width of the sidewalk, whichever is greater, is free of snow and ice. In those instances where the traversable walkway is less than four feet in width, the owner, occupant or person having charge shall clear the entire width of the abutting sidewalk.
• In case the gutter opposite any dwelling house, store or other building, or lot of ground, in the City shall at any time become obstructed with snow, ice, dirt or any matter, the owner or occupant or person having charge thereof shall cause the gutter to be cleaned out to the width of two feet, so that the water may run freely along the same.
• If more than four feet of sidewalk is available, snow may be deposited between the cleared area and the curbline at a height of no greater than 3.5 feet.
• At no time shall snow, ice, dirt, or any matter be removed into the street.
• Where public facilities or public infrastructure are present on a sidewalk, such as mailboxes, phone booths, handicapped ramps at corners, parking meters, bicycle racks, and benches, the owner, occupant or person having charge shall maintain clear access to said facilities or infrastructure so that all public functions may continue unimpeded at all times.
• Any person, persons or corporations violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof before the Municipal Judge, be subject to a fine in any sum not less than $100 nor exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 90 days, or both, the amount of such fine and imprisonment within the limitation aforesaid to be determined in the discretion of the Municipal Judge.

Link to the full township code for snow and ice removal here.

• See related article: Could Robot Snowblowers Mean The End Of Winter Shoveling? [VIDEOS]

Photo: Flickr Commons

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