Although Waltham has only had a bit of snowfall this winter season, city officials have issued a winter weather prep checklist to help residents brave the cold season.
Among the recommended items:
- Sign up with Waltham’s CodeRED Emergency Notification System to receive urgent alerts (such as parking bans) via phone, text or email. You can also text the word “Waltham” to 99411 to enroll. Translation to Spanish, Portuguese and French is available.
- Be prepared for snow emergency/parking bans. The city may declare a “snow emergency/parking ban” when significant snowfall is expected. When a snow emergency/parking ban is in effect, there is no on street parking. That means all vehicles must be removed from all roadways or they are subject to tow. Residents may park in school and municipal parking lots (excluding the public library lot); however, when the ban is lifted, vehicles must be removed from school lots within two hours and from municipal lots within 24 hours.
- Check out the city’s Winter Weather Alert Center, where all winter-related alerts and information will be posted.
- Also, check out the city’s snowstorm policy.
The city strongly encourages sidewalk clearing to ensure safe pedestrian passage.
Article 17-23 of the General Ordinances of the City of Waltham also mandates that certain property owners must remove snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their property after any snow or ice event.
According to the ordinance, property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks that are in front of, at the side of, or abut your property in any way, if
- the property or land abuts a sidewalk, excluding single or two-family residences;
- the building contains three or more dwelling units, as defined in the zoning code;
- the property is in any Business, Commercial, or Industrial District, in the Hope Ave. Redevelopment District, or in the Riverfront Overlay District, as defined and delineated in the zoning code; or
- the property contains a building designated and used for institutional uses, as defined and delineated in the zoning code.
All sidewalks in these instances are to be maintained in a nonslippery condition suitable for pedestrian travel by clearing all snow and ice from a pathway at least 36 inches in width along the length of said sidewalk. Sidewalks must be cleared within the first three hours between sunrise and sunset after the snow and ice event has stopped and must be maintained by application(s) of sand and/or melting agents as may be necessary.See the full ordinance here.
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