The Observation Deck

Anyone see any city snow plows lately? The reason I ask is that my street, Rockway, is really pretty bad. I haven't seen nor heard a snow plow go by since Wednesday.

Not helping this is that people are parking all up and down the street, all day and all night long, regardless of the sign on the street noting a snow parking ban. So the side where the cars park is really in bad shape, unplowed at all.

Compounding this for me personally is that the homeowner across the street has moved out, but has not sold the house yet ... so the driveway is unshoveled ... and so people park right in front of it, virtually blocking off my driveway! If the side of the street where people park (illegally, if the snow parking ban was actually enforced) would be plowed, then at least it would offer more space to park, and hopefully people wouldn't block my car. I'm a civil guy, but there have been a few times when I wished I had a nice big '72 Buick, and could just ram the car blocking my driveway, to make a point ... and a dent. But one should not wish such uncivil things in a polite society, so instead I just keep shoveling the end of my driveway wider, to hopefully allow enough space to cut hard when getting out of the driveway and not hit the idiot blocking me ... though I think I've tapped his car at least once.

Has the city stopped plowing when the snow stopped? Or are they just working on the main streets?

From my morning workout in Lakewood Park, I noticed there was considerable truck activity - with snow removal from remote places to the park. I assume from places where for purposes of safety the mass build-up is a problem. Just speculation.

Kenneth Warren

I don't know if this brings any solace, but it does look like the city will start enforcing the parking ban. This is from city website:

[quote]The Lakewood Division of Police would like to remind you that vehicles may not be parked on any street in the City for more than 24 hours without being used in a usual and ordinary manner.

On Friday, February 16, 2007 at 9:00 a.m., the Lakewood Police Department will begin to ticket snowed-in/plowed-in autos on all city streets that have not been moved in 24 hours. Tickets and tow notice will be placed on each vehicle. If the cars are still parked on the street, without being moved, an attempt will be made to notify the registered owner. After the notification attempt is made, the auto will be towed off the street.

Off-Street Parking is available at the Lakewood Municipal Parking Lots, located throughout the city.

“Cars covered in snow and plowed in are a safety hazard,â€Â

Any idea how many tickets have been written or how many cars towed? That should give us a perspective on enforcement.

We really need to get this snow shoveling business together as a community. Residents, businesses, and city hall, nobody likes to shovel, but we often forget that there are others out there who need those walks to be clean.

Kudos to those who did their civic duty and to those who are trying to compensate for those who do not. Nonetheless, it's time to review the law and enforcement. Anybody up for a task force?

BTW-- You can research Lakewood Codified Ordinances off this link.

http://www.conwaygreene.com/Lakewood/lp ... -h.htm&2.0


This is the the ordinance that would apply to snow on sidewalks:

521.06 DUTY TO KEEP SIDEWALKS IN REPAIR AND CLEAN.

(a) Every owner, occupant or person having charge of any tenement building, lot or land fronting any avenue, street, alley or public highway in the City shall remove and clear away, or cause to be removed or cleared away, snow and ice from a path of at least four feet in width from so much of the sidewalk whether or not flagged or paved as is in front of or abuts such building or lot or land.

No person removing snow from any driveway, sidewalk, public or private parking lot or private premises within the City shall deposit the same on the street, pavement, sidewalk or driveway apron of any public street. (Ord. 3-85. Passed 2-4-85.)

(1) Except as provided in subsection (b) hereof, snow and ice shall be removed from all business districts within the City by 9:00 a.m. of each day.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (b) hereof, snow and ice shall be removed from all other sidewalks within the City on the same day as the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet or freezing rail or not later than 8:00 p.m. after the cessation of such fall, whichever period is longer.

(b) In the event snow and ice on a sidewalk has become so hard that it cannot be removed without the likelihood of damage to the sidewalk, the person or entity charged with its removal, shall within the time mentioned in subsection (a) hereof, cause enough abrasive material or sodium chloride or derivative thereof to be put on the sidewalk to make travel thereon reasonably safe and shall then, as soon thereafter as weather permits, cause such sidewalk to be thoroughly cleaned.

(c) Every owner, occupant or person having charge of any tenement building, lot or land fronting upon any avenue, street, alley or other public highway of the City shall keep the entire width of such sidewalk from curb to lot line, free and clear of all earth, sand, brick, stone, rubbish, dead trees and dead branches of trees or other material which from any cause whatever shall have accumulated or may accumulate upon such sidewalk above the established grade of the same and shall also cut and remove from the sidewalk between the lot and curb line, all weeds, grass and vegetable growths that are more than four inches in height.

(d) If the owner of any building, lot or land fails to comply with the provisions of this section, then the Director of Public Works may remove the snow, ice, earth, sand, brick, stone, rubbish, dead trees or dead branches of trees or other materials, weeds, grass and vegetable growths, from the sidewalk in front of the premises of such owner, and may charge the expense thereof to such owner, and if, upon being notified, he fails to pay the City the amount of such expense, then such amount may be certified by the proper City officer to the County Auditor, and the same shall act as a lien upon the property of such owner, and shall be collected as provided for in the case of special assessments.

(e) For the purpose of this section, the term, business district, as set forth in subsection (a)(1), shall include all properties abutting or within 150 feet of Detroit Avenue from 117th Street to the Detroit Bridge approach; abutting or within 150 feet of Madison Avenue from 117th Street to Riverside Drive; abutting or within 150 feet of 117th Street from Lake Avenue to Berea Road; abutting or within 150 feet of Warren Road from Detroit Avenue to Franklin Boulevard; abutting or within 150 feet of Sloane Avenue from West Clifton Boulevard to Phelps Avenue; abutting or within 150 feet of Berea Road from West 117th Street to the City limits; abutting or within 150 feet of Hilliard Road from Madison Avenue to Woodward Avenue; abutting or within 150 feet of the Detroit Bridge approach from Detroit Avenue to the Rocky River Bridge.

(f) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

(Ord. 89-78. Passed 11-6-78.)

Councilman Demro, First of all, I sincerely appreciate your involvement on this public forum. Some city officials/employees would rather play Solitaire or send questionable emails on their computers.

However, in all due respect, why do politicians so often want to form taskforces? Why can't the city just enforce the law?

I'll give you two obvious offenders, just to start things off.

1. The first is Graftech, at W117 and Madison. In years (including time I just came to Lakewood to visit), I do not ever recall seeing their sidewalk shoveled one bit. Somehow, though, they have the capability to keep their own parking lot snow- and ice-free. I know what some people are thinking. Why not cross the street and walk down the other side of Madison? One reason is that it is not always safe or pleasant to do so.

2. The second is CVS at W117/Clifton.

I would voluntarily go around the entire city and email time-stamped photographs to city hall if I thought it would accomplish something.

Additionally, to date, I have received no messages publicly or privately of addresses that need help with their sidewalks.

Doug

PS While some may disagree with your stance on the shopping carts, I think it was an issue that needed to be brought to the forefront.

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(d) If the owner of any building, lot or land fails to comply with the provisions of this section, then the Director of Public Works may remove the snow, ice, earth, sand, brick, stone, rubbish, dead trees or dead branches of trees or other materials, weeds, grass and vegetable growths, from the sidewalk in front of the premises of such owner, and may charge the expense thereof to such owner, and if, upon being notified, he fails to pay the City the amount of such expense, then such amount may be certified by the proper City officer to the County Auditor, and the same shall act as a lien upon the property of such owner, and shall be collected as provided for in the case of special assessments.

Councilman Demro

As always thanks for your participation and hard work.


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DougHuntingdon wrote:However, in all due respect, why do politicians so often want to form taskforces? Why can't the city just enforce the law?

I have to whole heartedly agree with you on this. The law seems clear enough, it should be enforced.

In all fairness to Ryan though, the issue of enforcement falls squarely in the mayor's lap not council.

The question should really be, why is the mayor not enforcing the law that's already in force?

As a devil's advocate; how many homeowners have fully shovelled their sidewalks?

How long would it take the police to enforce this law with every homeowner not in compliance?

How will the laws be selectively enforced?

dl meckes wrote:As a devil's advocate; how many homeowners have fully shovelled their sidewalks?

How long would it take the police to enforce this law with every homeowner not in compliance?

How will the laws be selectively enforced?

You are correct, the enforcement would be difficult but no more so than many other laws that are selectively enforced today.

Why not start enforcing it with businesses? That seems more manageable to me.

Bryan Schwegler wrote:

dl meckes wrote:As a devil's advocate; how many homeowners have fully shovelled their sidewalks?

How long would it take the police to enforce this law with every homeowner not in compliance?

How will the laws be selectively enforced?

You are correct, the enforcement would be difficult but no more so than many other laws that are selectively enforced today.

Why not start enforcing it with businesses? That seems more manageable to me.

Bryan

While I question the sense of adding laws that cannot be enforced, I do agree that possibly businesses, and rentals might be a place to start, as we have the deeper pockets, and more to lose.

Speaking for myself, we offer nice discounts to our renters for shoveling walks, cutting grass, etc. It is a model that I think would add dividends to the city in the long run.

Who wants to live next to an crappy house?

So it is up to the renters to save money or allow us to pay someone else. Recently we have been doing it ourselves, as the snow is coming down to fast to wait for shovelers. With the frontage we have, it would be unfair to all in the neighborhood.

I have to be honest I have not made it back to Dave's mom's house.

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One rental I used to live in--I offered to mow the grass just to be nice as long as the slum/landlord provided the mower. I even offered to walk the mower down to the gas station and pay for gasoline if necessary if it ever ran out. However, it was too much hassle for the slum/landlord to transport the push mower from one of his other properties a couple miles away, so the grass grew and grew and grew. ):

Doug

DougHuntingdon wrote:One rental I used to live in--I offered to mow the grass just to be nice as long as the slum/landlord provided the mower. I even offered to walk the mower down to the gas station and pay for gasoline if necessary if it ever ran out. However, it was too much hassle for the slum/landlord to transport the push mower from one of his other properties a couple miles away, so the grass grew and grew and grew. ):

Doug

Even the Ice Pirates shovel their walks.


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I don't think that house would pass many architectural review / zoning boards but it is ok with me.

Doug

Doug,

I have found that some of the most positive work at City Hall comes out of task forces. It allows for more citizen participation and they tend to wrap up their work quickly.

To all who ask the question, "Why not enforce what is on the books?" Good question; however, to DL's point, "Who was considering the enforcement piece when they wrote this law?" It is virtually impossible for the Director of Public Works to make this happen. Yet a task force could come up with viable solutions. One that I thought of was that the Director could have a cadre of high school students on call for situations like this. A business refeuses to remove the snow within the alloted period, send out the kids, pay them, and assess the owner (this is the stick). It is so important to attach the cost of the service to the user/violator and mitigate/eliminate the social cost of unclear sidewalks.

Second, the task force could come up with positive viable solutions (hence the carrot). This might include working with business owners in a district format to collectively hire snow removal services. This cooperation would not only ensure consistency, but accountability and reliability also.

Just some thoughts.