§ 5-2-21. Removal of snow, sleet and ice.

(a)

Whenever snow shall fall and lie on the sidewalks of the city, it shall be the duty of each owner or occupant to clean same from the public sidewalk abutting the place owned or occupied by him. The time for such removal shall be as follows:

i.

When the city manager or his designee has declared a Level 1 snow emergency, within 24 hours after the snow shall have ceased to fall;

ii.

When the city manager or his designee has declared a Level 2 snow emergency, within 48 hours after the snow shall have ceased to fall;

iii.

When the city manager or his designee has declared a Level 3 snow emergency, within 72 hours after the snow shall have ceased to fall.

It shall be unlawful for any person to move into any city street any snow that has fallen on such person's property. The same requirements shall exist with respect to ice or sleet on sidewalks or footways; except, when it cannot be removed without injury to the sidewalk or footway, it shall be covered within 24 hours with sand, ashes or some other substance which will render it safe for travel. Whenever any building or lot is owned by the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, contains four or more rental units, or is unoccupied, it shall be the duty of the owner, or the agent of the owner thereof, to have the snow or ice removed from the sidewalk or footway, as above required of occupants. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail, refuse or neglect to comply with the provisions of this subsection.

(b)

The director of the department of transportation and environmental services, or the director's duly authorized agent, may give notice in writing to the owner or occupant of land in the city abutting a sidewalk where there is snow, sleet or ice, that such snow, sleet or ice must be removed or covered as prescribed above within 24 hours from the receipt of the notice or the city will (1) remove or cover the snow, sleet or ice, bill the owner or occupant for the costs and collect the costs like taxes in the event of nonpayment by the owner, and/or (2) issue a civil penalty citation to the owner or occupant pursuant to subsection (e) of this section. Mailing to the last known post office address shall constitute sufficient service upon owners who cannot be found after a reasonably diligent search.

(c)

Whenever the owner refuses, neglects or fails to remove or cover the snow, sleet or ice after being notified in the manner prescribed above, the department of transportation and environmental services may choose to act. The expense thereof shall be forthwith computed, and a bill for such expense shall be prepared by the department of finance and mailed to the owner at his last known post office address within a reasonable time after the work is done.

(d)

In the event the city does not receive payment of the bill within 30 days after mailing, the director of finance shall see that the expense is charged to the owner and collected in the same manner as city taxes. Every charge with which the owner of any such property shall have been assessed and which remains unpaid shall constitute a lien against such property.

(e)

A person shall be assessed a civil penalty of $50 for violating any provision of this section; provided, however, that no such penalty shall be assessed until the written notice required by subsection (b), and an additional period of 24 hours to comply after such notice, shall have been given. The provisions of section 1-1-11 of this code shall apply to the enforcement of such penalty. (Code 1963, Sec. 33-22; Ord. No. 2752, 12/14/82, Sec. 1; Ord. No. 2768, 1/26/82, Sec. 1; Ord. No. 2877, 11/12/83, Sec. 1; Ord. No. 4368, 12/18/04, Sec. 1; Ord. No. 4689, 11/13/10, Sec. 1)

Cross Reference: Snow and bad weather regulations, § 5-8-131 et seq.