Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Contact: Mary Curtius 703-228-7943 (voice) 703-228-4611(TTY)
Arlington County Board Approves Snow Removal Ordinance
- Decision aims to provide safe, accessible routes for all
- Property owners required to remove snow adjacent to property or risk up to $100 penalty
- County to support ordinance with public education, volunteer outreach
Update 12/17/10: Visit Arlington Snow & Ice Central for detailed information on the Snow Removal Ordinance.
ARLINGTON, VA - The Arlington County Board today voted to approve a permanent, Countywide snow removal ordinance requiring all Arlington property owners, occupants, or persons in charge to clear public sidewalks adjacent to their property of snow and ice within a designated time period. The ordinance also prohibits transferring or depositing snow and ice from private property onto a County street, pedestrian walkway or trail.
The ordinance grew from widespread public concern after this past winter’s historic snowfalls when sidewalks and streets remained impassable for many days. Following extensive outreach effort and a public hearing at today’s Board meeting, the Board approved the ordinance, designed to keep the public right-of-way clear following winter weather events to:
- Allow residents safe mobility.
- Provide access to critical services.
- Help minimize the disruption to businesses within the County.
Focus on Safety, Accessibility
Providing clear, safe roadways and pedestrian routes is essential to ensuring access to jobs, schools and services for all in a walkable community like Arlington. The new ordinance aims to help ensure safe access for pedestrians and make all transportation modes available as soon as possible after a snow storm. Specifically, the ordinance addresses the following two areas of concern:
- Snow and Ice Removal - All property owners are required to remove snow and ice from public sidewalks adjacent to their property:
- Must be removed from the entire width of the sidewalk up to a maximum of 36 inches (to accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, and adults with children in hand).
- Must be removed within 24 hours after the snow stops falling, when accumulations are less than 6 inches, and within 36 hours when 6 or more inches of snow accumulate.
- Noncompliance could result in a civil penalty and fine of $50 for sidewalks less than 200 linear feet in length or $100 for more than 200 feet.
- The County may remove the snow or ice when a property owner fails to comply and charge the cost to the owner.
- Depositing Snow and Ice on Streets or Sidewalks - Private owners may not deposit snow or ice from private property onto a County street, transit stop, or sidewalk. Such action may result in a class 4 misdemeanor and fine of $250.
Supporting and Enforcing the Ordinance
The general intent of the ordinance is to identify locations and situations that pose a public safety hazard - the County expects voluntary compliance to result in most snow clearing. The County also intends to develop an Implementation Plan that includes:
- A public education campaign to promote voluntary compliance.
- Work with volunteers to expand snow-clearing efforts.
- Priorities for County clearing and enforcement procedures.
The County Board further directed the County Manager to:
- Provide reasonable criteria for exempting individuals who are handicapped, over the age of sixty-five, or otherwise physically incapable of complying with the requirements of the ordinance, including ways to facilitate assistance to persons who qualify for the waiver.
- Provide for an exemption when additional snow or ice if re-deposited on the sidewalk as a result of government action.
- Target locations and situations that pose a safety hazard or impair access to transit or essential services.
The County Manager has the authority to extend the time frames required for compliance, reduce the required width that must be cleared, and suspend enforcement of the ordinance based on weather conditions. And the County Board made it clear that the County will take responsibility for clearing sidewalks abutting County property. The Board voted 4-1 to adopt the ordinance.
Read details on the proposed ordinance in the staff report and view the final ordinance (pdf).
Arlington, Va., is a world-class residential, business and tourist location that was originally part of the "10 miles square" parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. It is the geographically smallest self-governing county in the United States, occupying slightly less than 26 square miles. Arlington maintains a rich variety of stable neighborhoods, quality schools and enlightened land use, and received the Environmental Protection Agency's highest award for "Smart Growth" in 2002. Home to some of the most influential organizations in the world - including the Pentagon - Arlington stands out as one of America's preeminent places to live, visit and do business.