Snow Emergency Declared in West Chester: What to Know

WEST CHESTER, PA -- As you've probably heard by now, Wednesday's blue summer skies and late spring air will not be in the area for long. A significant storm front is coming through the area, and up to 10 inches could fall in Chester County.

Chester County has declared a Winter Storm Watch. West Chester has declared a snow emergency, beginning at 10 p.m. Thursday and continuing through Friday at 7 a.m.

Parking is prohibited on all snow emergency routes.

Residents are urged to use borough parking garages, which will be free of charge while the emergency is in effect: Bicentennial Garage located at 20 S High Street; The Chestnut Street Garage located at E. Chestnut Street and N Walnut Street; The Sharpless Street Garage located at S. Church Street and Sharpless Street, the Matlack Street Garage located on S. Matlack Street just south of Rosedale Ave. and the Nields St. garage just west of S. New St.

Property owners are also reminded to clear snow away from fire hydrants.

Regarding snow removal, here are a few points to keep in mind as you grab those shovels. According to the West Chester borough code:

• Within a period of 24 hours after the cessation of a snowfall or other precipitation, all property owners shall remove all snow and ice from the sidewalks abutting their respective property so that a width of not less than three feet is cleared.
• When ice appears on a sidewalk, but before it can be removed as provided herein, a nonskid material, such as rock salt, cinders, ashes or sand, shall be applied to the sidewalks within six hours after the cessation of the precipitation that created the icy conditions. When ice appears on a sidewalk because of any reason other than precipitation, a nonskid material such as rock salt, cinders, ashes or sand shall be applied to ice on the sidewalk within two hours after the owner knows or should have notice of the ice on the sidewalk.
• No person shall push, dump or deposit in any manner, or cause to be pushed, dumped or deposited in any manner, any snow or ice which has accumulated on any sidewalk or private property onto any street, private street, public park or public property in the Borough. Upon direction or notice from the Borough police or representative from the Borough's Public Works Department, any person who is found pushing, dumping or depositing snow or ice onto any street, private street, public park or public property in the Borough shall immediately desist from such action and shall remove any snow or ice from the street or public property that has been unlawfully deposited thereon. If the person so notified fails to comply as aforesaid, he shall be subject to the fines set forth in § 95-21 of this chapter.
• Any person who violates or permits the violation of any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof in a summary proceeding brought before a District Justice, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be subject to the payment of a fine of not less than $25 and not more than $1,000, plus the costs of prosecution. Upon default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment in the county prison for a period of not more than 30 days. Each section or provision of this chapter that is violated shall constitute a separate offense, and each day or portion thereof in which a violation of this chapter is found to exist shall constitute a separate offense, each of which violations shall be punishable by a separate fine imposed by the District Justice of not less than $25 and not more than $1,000, plus the costs of prosecution, and, upon default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment in the county prison for a term not more than 30 days.

A link to the full township code for snow and ice removal is available here.

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