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Home My WebLink AboutEnv - 2015-05-21 - Item 1 - Sidewalk Snow Clearing - Potential Environmental Impacts Date:May 6, 2015 To:Environmental Committee From:Shayne Turner, Director, By-law Enforcement Barbara Steiner, Senior Environmental Planner Subject: Chapter 687 - Sidewalk Snow / Ice Removal On February 23, 2015 Council passed the following motion: “That staff be directed to conduct the following examinations in relation to sidewalk snow clearing operations and report back prior to winter of 2015-2016: i. Conduct a review of the City’s sidewalk snow clearing policies and engage in community consultation to determine if any changes are required; and further, ii. Circulate the previous report completed on sidewalk snow clearing to Council and report back on the practices of other large municipalities including the impact of implementing a similar level of service in 2016 or beyond.” At the request of a Committee member, staff are reviewing the snow clearing policies with the Committee as part of the public consultation process. The 2 main issues that will be discussed as part of the review of this Chapter will be: 1. The requirement to wait for a minimum of 24 hours after a snowfall to initiate enforcement action; and 2. The requirement to completely remove all snow/ice from the sidewalk. In terms of the discussion at the Environmental Committee, item #2 is likely of most interest. The by-law currently requires all snow/ice to be removed. Weather conditions help determine which methods may be most useful in achieving this removal standard. In many instances, salt is seen as the method most used to help remove ice from a sidewalk. An option that is likely to be mentioned as part of the review and public consultation process is that of reducing the standard from “clear” to something like “reasonably passable.” If this change were to be contemplated, it may have an effect on the variety of removal methods available to citizens and businesses including the use of salt as a de-icing agent The Regional Municipality of Waterloo is responsible for the protection of our drinking water supply. As we are dependent upon groundwater for that supply, the Region engages in public education to help citizens manage the amount of salt that is used for de-icing purposes. On the Region’s website, they advise thatwinter salt helps keep us safe but it also causes damage to our natural and urban environments including our drinking water sources. 1 1 - - 1 1 Most salt and many of the de-icing materials used on parking lots, walkways, and roads contain chloride. When snow melts or when it rains, the salt is washed into our waterways or travels underground. Chloride travels freely with the water eventually making its way to our drinking water wells. Over time, if salt is not properly managed, chloride levels will increase in the drinking water causing it to taste salty. Tips to help homeowners and businesses to use salt as a de-icing agent in a way that best protects water resources are outlined on the following site: http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/aboutTheEnvironment/Protection2.asp. Businesses and snow and ice removal contractors can take winter salt management training and consider becoming Smart About Salt (www.smartaboutsalt.com) certified. 1 1 - - 2 2 PROPERTYMAINTENANCE Chapter687 SNOWANDICE Removalfromroofsandsidewalks Article1 DUTYOFOWNER 687.1.1Roof-removalofsnow-within24hours 687.1.2Sidewalk-removalofsnow-within24hours Article2 REMOVALBYCITY 687.2.1Default-ofowner 687.2.2Default-unoccupiedbuilding 687.2.3Default-sidewalk 687.2.4Expense-recoverableasmunicipaltaxes Article3 PEDESTRIANTRAFFIC-IMPEDING 687.3.1Placing-snow-ice-onsidewalk 687.3.2Exception-ordinaryoperations-snowremoval Article4 ENFORCEMENT 687.4.1Fine-forcontravention WHEREAS Sections687.2.2and687.2.3provideatimelimitforclear- ancewithintwenty-fourhoursafterthecessationofasnowfall; KITCHENER687.1JANUARY2002 1 - 3 687.1.1SNOWANDICE687.2.2 ANDWHEREAS itisherebysetforthaspolicythatnoactionshallbe takenbytheDirectorofEnforcementunderSections687.2.2and687.2.3 hereofifthefailuretocomplyisafirsttimeoccurrencefortheparticular snowseasonandthattheoffendershallbegivenanadditional twenty-fourhourstothatprescribedinthesaidSectionswithinwhichthe snowmustberemoved. Article1 DUTYOFOWNER 687.1.1Roof-removalofsnow-within24hours Everyowneroroccupantofabuildingonpremisesadjoiningahighwayin theCityshall,iftheroofofsuchbuildingslopestowardssuchhighwayso thatsnowandicemayfallfromsuchroofthereon,clearawayandremove thesnowandicefromsuchroofwithintwenty-fourhoursafterthecessation ofasnowfall,andeveryperson,whileclearingawayandremovingsuch snowandice,shalltakereasonablecaretokeeppassersbyandanyotheraf- fectedpersonssafetherefrom. 687.1.2Sidewalk-removalofsnow-within24hours Everyowneroroccupantofabuildingonpremisesadjoiningahighway intheCityshallclearawayandremovethesnowandicefromtheside- walksonsuchhighwayinfrontof,alongsideorattherearofsuchbuild- ingwithintwenty-fourhoursafterthecessationofasnowfall.By-law 87-171,17August,1987. Article2 REMOVALBYCITY 687.2.1Default-ofowner IndefaultofremovalofsnowandiceasprovidedinSections687.1.1and 687.1.2,theDirectorofEnforcementisauthorizedtoprocuretheclearing andremovalofsameattheexpenseoftheownerandthecostofsodoing shallberecoveredinlikemannerasmunicipaltaxespursuanttotheprovi- sionsofthe. MunicipalAct,2001 687.2.2Default-unoccupiedbuilding Iftheroofofanunoccupiedbuildingonpremisesadjoiningahighwayinthe Cityslopestowardssuchhighwaysothatsnowandicemayfallfromsuch roofthereonandsuchsnowandicearenotclearedawayandremovedthere- fromwithintwenty-fourhoursafterthecessationofasnowfall,suchsnow andicemaybeclearedawayandremovedorcausedtobeclearedawayand removedattheexpenseoftheownerofsuchbuildingandtheDirectorofEn- forcementisauthorizedtoprocurethesametobedone. JANUARY2002687.2KITCHENER 1 - 4 687.2.3SNOWANDICE687.4.1 687.2.3Default-sidewalk Ifsnowandicearenotclearedawayandremovedfromthesidewalksonany highwayinfrontof,alongsideorattherearofanunoccupiedbuildingorva- cantlandintheCitywithintwenty-fourhoursafterthecessationofa snow-fall,suchsnowandicemaybeclearedawayandremovedattheex- penseoftheownerofsuchunoccupiedbuildingorvacantlandandtheDi- rectorofEnforcementisauthorizedtoprocurethesametobedone.By-law 87-171,17August,1987;By-law97-140,15September,1997;By-law 2001-233,10December,2001. 687.2.4Expense-recoverableasmunicipaltaxes Theexpenseincurredinclearingawayandremovingsnowandice,asispro- videdinSections687.2.2and687.2.3,shallberecoveredfromtheownerin likemannerasmunicipaltaxespursuanttotheprovisionsofthe Municipal . Act,2001 Article3 PEDESTRIANTRAFFIC-IMPEDING 687.3.1Placing-snow-ice-onsidewalk NopersonshallmoveorplaceanysnoworiceontoanysidewalkintheCity soastoimpedepedestriantrafficthereon.By-law87-171,17August,1987. 687.3.2Exception-ordinaryoperations-snowremoval NothinginSection687.3.1affectstheordinaryoperationsoftheInfrastr tureServicesDepartment.By-law87-171,17August,1987;By-law 2001-224,26November,2001;By-law2011-047,28March,2011. Article4 ENFORCEMENT 687.4.1Fine-forcontravention EverypersonwhocontravenesanyprovisionofthisChaptershallbeliable, uponconviction,toafinenotexceedingFiveThousandDollars($5,000), exclusiveofcosts,foreachoffence,recoverableunderthe ProvincialOf- .By-law87-171,17August,1987;By-law2007-166,17 fencesAct September,2007. KITCHENER687.3APRIL2011 1 - 5