Street Parking & Snow

With winter upon us, we need to ask residents to keep their sidewalks free of ice and snow. This is an extremely dangerous hazard to pedestrians and especially noteworthy since we are a sub full of school aged children that need to walk both to and from their bus stops.  Equally important, please remember to keep all vehicles from being parked on the streets, especially during a snowfall.  Our by-laws prohibit any (overnight) street parking and the snow plowing company needs to be able to do their job.  

 

Our by-laws prohibit overnight street parking. While the HOA can be lenient with this By-Law for the once-in-a-while, occasional street parking occurrences during Spring-Fall seasons, the HOA strictly enforces this during the snowfall season. It is, and has always been, for both safety reasons and so that it does not prohibit the snow plow company from effectively clearing the snow from the street (as they are hired to do). 

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The snow street parking interference violation is accordingly.  

1st Offense – Written warning given, $25 fine

2nd Offense – Written violation notice and fine of $50 

3rd and Offense – Written violation notice and fine of $100

4th and Subsequent Offenses - Written violation notice and fine of $200 

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If the street was already plowed and a co-owner parked in a way that prevented fully snow removal,  In order to resolve the violation he / she is required to remove both the vehicle and all snow from the street that the plow was unable to clear. The snow from the area of the street must be deposited onto the boulevard.  This must be accomplished by nightfall of the day following notice of the violation (approx. 24 hrs).  

 

We will, under no circumstances, contact the plowing service to ‘free’ a co-owner's vehicle from being plowed in at the expense of the rest of the sub.  Keeping resident vehicles and any guest vehicles from being parked in the street during a snowfall is solely the Homeowner’s responsibility.

 

Traffic Order for Snow Emergencies in Canton:

A snow emergency is declared for the purpose of clearing streets for snow removal and allowing accessibility for Public Safety vehicle response. In declaring a snow emergency, consideration must be given to the amount of snow fall and/or severity of weather, along with the ability to commit department resources to ensure compliance.

 

Canton Public Safety declares a snow emergency when snow accumulation of generally five inches or more is predicted. The following prevailing weather conditions are also taken into consideration:

 

• Duration of the snow event

• High winds, drifting, blizzard-like conditions

• Warming conditions

• Sleet, freezing rain, etc.

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During a snow emergency parking is prohibited on all streets in Canton to provide adequate access for plows and emergency vehicles.  The traffic order does provide for enforcement action to be taken up to and including vehicles being ticketed and/or towed. 

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Snow Removal Laws:

Canton Township Ordinance:

Ice and snow removal from sidewalks

Sec. 62-37. Ice and snow removal.  (Ord. No. 145, as amended, § 7, 7-24-2001) 

 

No person shall permit ice or an accumulation of snow to remain on any sidewalk adjacent to a lot or parcel occupied by him, or on a sidewalk adjacent to any unoccupied lot or parcel owned by him, for a longer period than 72 hours after the ice or snow has formed or fallen. This does not include sidewalks to the rear of a lot or parcel. 

 

State of Michigan's Law:

Depositing snow into the street: 

 

Pursuant to MCL 257.677a(4), it is a misdemeanor 90-day/$100 fine to “deposit, or cause to be deposited, snow, ice or slush on any roadway.” 

 

By definition, a street is “the entire width between the boundary lines when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel” and includes the roadway, shoulders, ditch slopes, and sidewalks. 

(source: State Police Traffic Enforcement Services  www.michigan.gov/msp-traffic)