Good to Know: Snow forces tickets and towings, so be prepared when parking
Katie Rose McEneely
Issue date: 1/22/09 Section: News
Many students are quick to complain about deep snow. But for those with cars, there's more to worry about than trudging through the drifts. There's also the question of parking, sometimes in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A city ordinance says four or more inches of snowfall constitutes as a snow emergency, said Tom Gaskell, an officer with the Hillsdale City Police Department.
"Once we receive four inches, people need to get vehicles off the street or they can receive a citation," he said. "24 hours after a citation, it's towed so the street can be plowed."
It's a common occurrence, he said. On Jan. 9, police officers issued 70 citations throughout the city between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. alone.
Section 32 of Hillsdale's municipal code backs Gaskell up, listing penalties and reinforcement for restricting snow removal.
Those who leave cars parked on the street for extended periods could return to an empty space. The city also has an abandoned vehicle ordinance.
"No vehicle is to be parked in the same spot without moving in 48 hours. It will be towed after a warning is issued and ignored," Gaskell said.
Unfortunately, students are often left out of the loop regarding city codes and local ordinances.
Advance warning for construction, street closures and other developments is provided for residents in The Hillsdale Daily News or on the local radio station. But that information rarely makes it onto campus. And few think to look at the municipal code, although it's available on the Internet.
Still, there is some reassuring news. Gaskell and his fellow officers avoid towing, he said.
"Being a small department in a small city, we try to work with people as much as possible."
Check the municipal code online at: http://tinyurl.com/hillsdale-code.
A city ordinance says four or more inches of snowfall constitutes as a snow emergency, said Tom Gaskell, an officer with the Hillsdale City Police Department.
"Once we receive four inches, people need to get vehicles off the street or they can receive a citation," he said. "24 hours after a citation, it's towed so the street can be plowed."
It's a common occurrence, he said. On Jan. 9, police officers issued 70 citations throughout the city between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. alone.
Section 32 of Hillsdale's municipal code backs Gaskell up, listing penalties and reinforcement for restricting snow removal.
Those who leave cars parked on the street for extended periods could return to an empty space. The city also has an abandoned vehicle ordinance.
"No vehicle is to be parked in the same spot without moving in 48 hours. It will be towed after a warning is issued and ignored," Gaskell said.
Unfortunately, students are often left out of the loop regarding city codes and local ordinances.
Advance warning for construction, street closures and other developments is provided for residents in The Hillsdale Daily News or on the local radio station. But that information rarely makes it onto campus. And few think to look at the municipal code, although it's available on the Internet.
Still, there is some reassuring news. Gaskell and his fellow officers avoid towing, he said.
"Being a small department in a small city, we try to work with people as much as possible."
Check the municipal code online at: http://tinyurl.com/hillsdale-code.
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