Residents Weigh In on Snowstorm Response

Published on February 23, 2016

County officials have a generous mountain of feedback to use in shaping an approach to future snowstorms.

On the eve of the Feb. 24 snow forum at Key Elementary School, co-hosted with Arlington Public Schools, County Manager Mark Schwartz shared with the Board some initial results from the resident survey crafted after last month's pounding blizzard. 

Here is what has been learned so far from the nearly 3,000 responses to the online questionnaire:

• The most responses originated from the 22207 ZIP code


• 89 percent of respondents said they were aware of the County's Snow Removal Ordinance for public sidewalks adjacent to private property


• 73 percent said they made sure to shovel their sidewalks (enforcement of the ordinance was suspended in the blizzard's aftermath)


• 25 percent said they don't have sidewalks to clear


• A heavy majority of respondents were aware of the County's four-phase prioritized snow removal operation and snow issue form


• A majority of those who said they had used the snow issue form felt it didn't generate results


• 54 percent said they were either satisfied or neutral about the County's snow response to the big January storm


• Near 3,000 written, open-ended answers to survey questions are still being compiled

Schwartz told the Board he and other officials would be doing a lot of listening at the Wednesday night forum, where residents have been invited to both share their concerns and their suggestions for how to improve the County's snow-fighting efforts.

The 7 p.m. session in Key Elementary's cafeteria also will address the sudden ice storm that paralyzed area roads on the evening of Jan. 20, two days before blizzard snows arrived.

Key Elementary is located at 2300 Key Blvd.