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

WEST ORANGE, NJ — As the winter months close their icy grip on the Essex County region, many West Orange 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, West Orange. According to the township code:

• The owner, occupant or tenant of premises abutting or bordering on any street in the Township shall remove all snow and ice from the abutting sidewalks of such streets, or in the event of ice which may be so frozen as to make removal impracticable, shall cause the same to be thoroughly covered with sand, ashes, salt, sawdust or some other nonslippery or adhesive substance so as to make the same safely passable within twenty-four (24) hours after the snow has ceased to fall or the ice has formed. In addition to any other remedy provided by this section any person who violates this section shall be subject to the penalty provided in Chapter I, Section 1-5. (1972 Code § 5-8.1; Ord. No. 2302-11)
• In the event snow or ice shall not be removed from sidewalks as provided in this section, the same may be removed under the direction of the Township Engineer. The cost of removal of any snow or ice by the Township Engineer for and on behalf of the Township of West Orange shall be certified to the Township Council by the Engineer or his or her nominee. The Township Council shall examine the certificate, and if found to be correct, the Council shall cause the cost to be charged against the real estate abutting upon the sidewalk, and the amount charged shall become a lien and a tax on the real estate and shall be added to and be part of the taxes next to be levied and assessed thereon, and enforced and collected with interest in the same manner as other taxes. (1972 Code § 5-8.2)
• No person, including the owner or occupant of any premises abutting on any street, shall throw, place or deposit any snow or ice into or on any street in the Township, except such as falls or is formed on that portion of the property abutting the street lying within the sidewalk lines thereof. It is the intent and purpose of this subsection to prohibit all persons from throwing, casting, placing or depositing snow and ice which accumulates within the private property belonging to or occupied by such persons on the sidewalks or streets of the Township. (1972 Code § 5-8.3)

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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