Greensburg council on Monday passed an ordinance that would issue fines for throwing snow into a street.
Mayor Robb Bell said the new rule gives city officials a way to address an issue that popped up during the Jan. 25 storm that dumped about 10 inches of snow on Greensburg.
“What we’re trying to avoid, and we had a number of these incidences where commercial lots were being plowed and they were just taking the lot and pushing it all out in the street after we had already done it,” he said. “That’s really what started this.”
Officials realized in the aftermath of the snowstorm that Greensburg didn’t have a relevant ordinance to hold someone accountable. The measure approved Monday in a 3-1 vote would levy a fine of up to $600 for anyone who puts snow into a street, alley or other public right of way.
City crews spent several days following the Jan. 25 storm clearing snow from streets and parking lots by hauling it away in dump trucks. A couple situations were reported to police where snow was thrown onto roads that had already been plowed.
Edward Wagner said he did just that after clearing the driveway and sidewalk at his parents’ South Hamilton Avenue home multiple times, only to have plow trucks come through and push snow back into those spots.
He said he disagrees with the ordinance.
Bell said city officials want to try to prevent a potentially dangerous situation if snow thrown into a road was to freeze and cause icy conditions.
“Your complaint is valid, I think, but we still have to do something to try keep people in general from doing that, especially some of these commercial places where they’re just pushing stuff out into the street,” he said.
Councilman Randy Finfrock voted against the ordinance. Councilman Donnie Zappone Jr. was absent.
“That is unenforceable,” Finfrock said.