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

NORRISTOWN , PA — As the winter months close their icy grip on the Philadelphia region, many residents will find themselves facing one of the winter's most-dreaded - or most-loved - chores: shoveling snow.

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

• It shall be unlawful for any person to throw or place removed snow or ice in the traveled area of a street in the Municipality of Norristown.
• Placement of objects in the street:
• Following a snow or ice storm, no person or entity shall place, anywhere in the streets of Norristown, any object whatsoever that impedes municipal snow-removal operations.
• Objects placed in the street in violation of this Subsection B may be removed by the Norristown Public Works Department and disposed of in accordance with the procedures established by the Public Works Director, with no liability to the Municipality for said removal and disposal.
• Any person or entity violating the provisions of this Subsection B shall be subject to the penalties set forth in § 278-23A of the General Laws of Norristown.
• Any resident of Norristown or their noncommercial workmen who shall violate or fail to comply with any provision of § 278-10 shall be subject to a fine or penalty of $10 in the form of a ticket written by a Norristown Police Officer. Any commercial snow removal service or contractor hired to remove snowfrom private property who shall violate or fail to comply with any provisions of § 278-10 shall be subject to a fine or penalty of $100 in the form of a ticket written by a Norristown Police Officer. If a violator does not pay the penalty within 72 hours, then the police officer shall cause a citation to be issued for the violation of § 278-10 by a Magisterial District Justice of the Municipality of Norristown, County of Montgomery. The violation shall provide for a minimum fine of $100 and a maximum fine of $600, plus costs of prosecution, plus reasonable attorneys’ fees, if applicable, for each such offense under these provisions, recoverable in proceedings before the Magisterial District Justice, and in default of payment of said fine and costs, shall provide for imprisonment in the county jail for a term of not more than 30 days. Each day that a violation continues shall be considered a separate offense.[Amended 10-18-2011 by Ord. No. 11-16]

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

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