Snow Ordinance In Phoenixville: What To Know Ahead Of Coming Storm

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Local officials are alerting residents to be prepared ahead of the coming winter storm Friday, as some special guidelines will be in place.

Here's a glance at some of Phoenixville's snow ordinances and guidelines:

• Snow Removal - Sidewalks must be cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours of the last snow fall or ice form. For everyone’s sake, please take care of each other. If you are able-bodied, please offer your help to your neighbors. If you are not, please ask for help from your neighbors, neighborhood kids, friends, relatives, etc. Snow removal is required, enforced, a good practice and last, but not least, the neighborly thing to do for all those people who use the pedestrian sidewalks frequently.
• Parking Spaces – For properties that only have on-street parking, please remember, the streets of Phoenixville are open to all the public, in any location. Clearing a spot does not legally give any one person the right to “reserve” that spot with the various forms of reservation methods seen in the past, typically lawn chairs, tables, buckets, trash cans, and other various household items. Any items found in the streets are regarded as refuse, and will be disposed of each and every time it is witnessed by the Codes Department personnel.

At least one to two inches of snow is expected to accumulate into Friday night, with steady freezing rain and sleet potentially accumulating ice into Saturday.

There's also a slighter chance that temperatures could dip slightly colder and the region could see more like 5 to 8 inches of snow accumulation. Forecasters point to significant variability in their predictions depending on exactly how the storm develops.

Here's what the emergency means for local residents:

All cars should be moved off of snow emergency routes before the end of the night. Any cars that are not moved will be ticketed and towed, officials said.

Police are are also warning residents not to reserve parking spaces using chairs, cones, or other items. It is illegal, and officers will cite residents.

It is illegal to deposit snow from sidewalks into the street, officials added.
Residents should check in on elderly or vulnerable neighbors.

Temporary shelters are set up around the county for vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness.

If you need emergency shelter, call the Your Way Home Call Center at 2-1-1. The county has the following recommendations during a Code Blue:

• Check on elderly friends and neighbors frequently to ensure that their homes are adequately heated
• If you see someone in need of immediate emergency assistance, call or text 9-1-1
• If you or someone you know needs help with temporary shelter from the cold weather or a longer-term housing issue, call Your Way Home at 2-1-1 or text 898-211

Some more relevant details from the borough's code:

• The owner, occupant or tenant of every property fronting upon or alongside any of the streets in the Borough of Phoenixville is hereby required to remove or cause to be removed from all of the sidewalks in front of or alongside such property all snow or ice thereon fallen or formed, within 24 hours after the same shall have ceased to fall or to form. The following persons shall be responsible for conforming to the provisions of this section in the following instances: the owner of a property, where such property is occupied by such owner or is unoccupied; the tenant or occupier thereof, where such property is occupied by such tenant or occupier only; and the owner thereof where such property is a multiple business or multiple-dwelling property, occupied by more than one tenant or occupier. In areas zoned Central Business District, the minimum cleared width of the sidewalks shall be 48 inches. In all other districts, the minimum cleared width of sidewalks shall be 30 inches. In cases of declared emergencies, the Mayor and/or the Borough Manager may extend the period for snow and/or ice removal beyond that herein set forth.
• It shall be unlawful to place, throw or cause to be placed or thrown, snow and/or ice onto any public street within the Borough of Phoenixville.
• In any case where the owner, occupant or tenant, as aforesaid, shall fail, neglect or refuse to comply with any of the provisions of § 21-701 of this Part within the time limit prescribed therein, the Borough authorities may proceed immediately to clear all snow and/or ice from the sidewalk of such delinquents and to collect the expenses thereof, with any additional amount allowed by law, from such owner, occupant or tenant, as the case may be, which may be in addition to any fine or penalty imposed under § 21-703 of this Part.