The Jan. 25 storm that dumped about 10 inches of snow on Greensburg helped officials learn they were missing something — an ordinance that addresses snow being thrown onto plowed streets.
Streets superintendent Tom Bell said he reported a couple situations to police where residents had thrown snow into clear roads only to eventually learn the city had nothing on the books forbidding it.
“It just creates a situation on the street that we’ve already taken care of,” he said.
Council introduced a bill Monday that would fine anyone who puts snow into a street, alley or other public right of way. The proposal calls for fines of up to $600.
Officials hope that will prevent residents from throwing snow onto plowed streets. Police or code enforcement will be able to enforce it, said solicitor Zachary Kansler.
“What we were running into during the snowstorm was that we would plow and then people would shovel themselves out and instead of throwing the snow in their yard, they were shoveling it back into the road, which then means that we have to go back out there and plow again,” he said.
That creates a potentially dangerous situation, Bell said, especially if the snow would freeze and cause icy conditions. He hopes the proposed ordinance will be a deterrent during future large snowstorms.
The ordinance will come before council for a vote in March before it is official.
Crews spent several days following the Jan. 25 storm clearing snow from streets and parking lots by hauling it away in dump trucks.