City of Somerville header
File #: 198467    Version: 1
Type: Public Communication Status: Placed on File
File created: 2/8/2015 In control: City Council
On agenda: 2/12/2015 Final action: 3/26/2015
Enactment date: 2/12/2015 Enactment #: 198467
Title: Mark Gallagher submitting comments re: the snow removal ordinance.

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Mark Gallagher submitting comments re: the snow removal ordinance.

 

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Official Text

To the Honorable Board:

Since the BOA decided to change the snow removal regulations and now reconsider these changes, I figured I would send you my thoughts, since I probably can't make the public hearing.

1. I don't know who is supposed to enforce them, but if they are allowed reasonable discretion in how they are enforced, the details are less important. While I suspect there would be disagreements around what is reasonable, it seems there would be the same disagreements about getting the details right.

2. How are we supposed to know when a storm ends? In many cases it would be obvious, but storms can obviously also end around sunrise or sunset. Would the city do reverse 311 calls to inform residents/homeowners for each storm?

3. It also obviously makes a difference whether we get 4-6 inches or 2 feet. It obviously wouldn't be reasonable to expect people to clear 2 feet of snow in a few hours. I don't know if tying it to "snow emergency" timing is best option, but there should be distinctions, and having some arbitrary number like 6 inches, leads to same problem as #2 since it won't always be obvious what the amount is.

Thanks,

Mark Gallagher