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The Catskill Village Board of Trustees is expected to vote tonight on a new snow removal ordinance that would clarify requirements and increase penalties for non-compliance.
The proposed law aims to end confusion about snow clearing responsibilities by establishing specific timeframes for residents and businesses to remove snow from sidewalks. According to the draft ordinance, residents would be required to clear snow and ice within 24 hours after a snow emergency is canceled, while Main Street property owners would face a shorter 12-hour deadline.
"Those laws aren't obsolete; there were just too many gray areas," Board President Natasha Law explained. "We don't like gray areas, so everything is just more defined."
The proposal includes a graduated fine structure, starting at $25 for first violations and increasing to $500 for repeated offenses. Law has indicated she plans to request higher penalties for commercial properties, noting that current fines aren't effective deterrents for larger businesses.
"Because McDonald's, Wendy's, Walgreens, and Taco Bell, they don't really care about a $100 fine," Law said. "They get the fine and don't shovel, and we honestly don't have the manpower to handle it."
The village's Department of Public Works (DPW) has been struggling to keep up with snow clearing demands, especially with recent water main breaks adding to their workload. Under the proposed ordinance, if property owners fail to clear sidewalks within the required timeframe, DPW personnel would clear the area and violators would face both the standard fine plus an additional $100 fee to cover municipal costs.
Enforcement would primarily fall to the village's Code Enforcement office, which would issue notices giving property owners 24 hours to comply before penalties are imposed.
The board held a public hearing on February 11 to discuss the ordinance, with conversations focusing on appropriate timeframes for compliance and how to determine when the "clock starts" after a snowstorm.
The current village law requires residents to clear sidewalks within 24 hours and establishes an alternating odd-even street parking system during snow emergencies, but officials say these rules have proven confusing and difficult to enforce.
The board is expected to vote on the finalized ordinance at tonight's meeting, following the conclusion of the public hearing period.