Village of Thomaston
100 East Shore Road
Great Neck, NY 11023
(516) 482-3110

January 2016

NOTICE OF SNOW ORDINANCES

Dear Resident,

            As the snow season is about to descend upon us in full force, we’d like to take this opportunity to remind all residents about long-standing Village ordinances relating to snow removal.

             The ordinances are designed to protect the safety of drivers, pedestrians and all Village residents.

             There is no parking on any Village street during a snowfall or within 24 hours after the end of a snowfall - - this is essential so that our Village crew can fully plow the streets.  When cars are parked in the street (or are parked in driveways but extend partially into the street), our plows must go around, which can leave unsafe conditions for motorists and the risk of damage to cars extending into the street.

             Sidewalks adjacent to your property are to be cleared of snow and ice within 24 hours of a snowfall or ice condition.  If ice removal is impractical, spreading sand or salt can achieve pedestrian safety.  We have many walkers in the Village, and we care about their safety.

If there is a fire hydrant in front of your property, please clear the snow and ice around the hydrant for use in case of an emergency.  If, and only in the event that you are physically incapable of doing this, please notify the Village via the public works emergency phone number at 482-3184 and we will notify the appropriate fire district.

             Moving of snow onto public roads or sidewalks is illegal, as is the cleaning of cars in the street.  Residents (and contractors engaged by residents to plow their driveways) should not push snow out of driveways onto the streets.  In many cases, our crews have gone home to sleep after plowing all night, only to find that snow has been pushed back into the streets by residents or their contractors in the morning.   We endeavor to finish plowing the streets before residents begin to shovel out their driveways following a storm (so as to avoid aggravation when a plow goes by and pushes snow back onto a shoveled driveway), and our crew is sensitive to the needs of residents, but the timing and extent of snowstorms does not always cooperate.  Our first priority in plowing is to plow promptly and to keep the public streets safe and open for emergency vehicles.

             As we have had increasing complaints in recent years from residents observing violations of these requirements, and as we care deeply about the safety of all Village residents, you should expect more rigorous enforcement of the regulations this winter.

             So, please abide by the law, avoid a fine and be neighborly, all at the same time.  On behalf of all residents, we appreciate everyone’s cooperation, and we wish you a happy and safe winter!

                                                                                                            Steven Weinberg
Mayor
and the Board of Trustees