John Q

Fri, Nov 4, 2011 : 6:44 p.m.

Looks like Pittsfield Township needs to be renamed Whiners' Township. If you don't want to be responsible for shoveling your sidewalk, don't buy a house that includes a sidewalk or move to a condo or an apartment where someone else is responsible for the snow. Otherwise, be responsible for shoveling your walk.

Thinking over here

Fri, Nov 4, 2011 : 5:19 p.m.

Seriously, does it say what to do if you are at work all day and it is snowing from 9-10 am and there is an inch until you get home?

jns131

Fri, Nov 4, 2011 : 2:57 p.m.

I hate to say it, but can you snitch R us? She has more snow then me and I shoveled. Guess I will call it in? Good grief folks. This is going to far.

Goober

Fri, Nov 4, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.

Wow. Some residents will be shoveling non-stop. Looks like these politicians have too much time on their hands. They must be paying too much attention to the Ann Arbor mayor and Ann Arbor city council for their list of issues to address.

Kai Petainen

Fri, Nov 4, 2011 : 4:42 a.m.

One day I was chatting with my wife.... I told her that I thought it was odd, that a place south (implying geography and weather) of Ann Arbor (Milan) had more snow than Ann Arbor. She responded, 'it's not odd at all, Ann Arbor has more people to shovel the snow'.

Ron Granger

Fri, Nov 4, 2011 : 2:01 a.m.

How many Pittsfield residents must die of heart attacks while shoveling? Think of the children (and snow) they will leave behind!

Kara H

Fri, Nov 4, 2011 : 1:27 a.m.

I'm usually not the one to defend the Pittsfield board, but geez people, this is no big deal. It's important for homeowners to clear snow off of sidewalks for the safety and convenience of those who can walk between destinations. (Admittedly rare in Pittsfield township, which is characterized more by island subdivisions than connected destinations.) But having an ordinance in place makes it enforceable if needed, for example to prod someone who never clears their walkway to do so. The point of ordinances like this is never to go after residents with yardsticks, but to establish community standards for if/when they're needed. What number would have been acceptable to all of you? 2 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches??? Or do you think homeowners bear no responsibility for clearing snow and should never be asked to do so? Then who does and on who's dime? PS. Reminds me of a bad "Get Smart" style joke... Give him and inch and he thinks he's a ruler...

jcj

Fri, Nov 4, 2011 : 1:09 a.m.

Township pathways are exempt from the provisions. "We maintain the pathways the best that we can," Pittsfield Utilities Director Craig Lyon said. "So, they are not going to be subject to the 1-inch snowfall. Another double standard!!!! If it is dangerous for the residents sidewalks it's dangerous for the township pathways!

jcj

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 10:53 p.m.

Just goes to show you! Ignorance knows no boundaries! And I thought all the numskulls were in Ann Arbor government!

Basic Bob

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 9:54 p.m.

The Complete Streets thing is not mandated by the state. It is special interest group of bicyclists who should be riding in the street where they belong. And follow all the traffic rules. I'll be checking the township trustee's sidewalk every time it snows, because our kids now have to walk a half mile to the bus.

golfer

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 9:31 p.m.

pittsfield is different. this is plain you know what one inch is nothing. sure hope they have some help for the seniors. i think i will go out and buy a truck, plow and most of all a snowblower. if i were some kids i sure would start sending out notices they are available.

tommy_t

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 9:19 p.m.

Just consider yourself lucky - you could have been made responsible for clearing the road frontage of your property line. Oh oh maybe I shouldn't have opened that bag of cats.

Tom Teague

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 8:36 p.m.

Googling this topic, I found a whole host of cities that don't specify the depth that snow must reach before the homeowner is required to shovel it. Presumably, you could get dunned for failure to clear just a half inch of snow some places This is from Kearny, NJ city website: "It is the property owner's or tenant's responsibility to remove snow and ice form the public sidewalks adjacent to his or her property within 12 daylight hours after the snow/ice has accumulated. In the event that the snow or ice is frozen to hard to shovel, the property owner or tenant must make the sidewalk safe by using sand or other abrasives. Failure to comply will result in a ticket being issued for each day the sidewalk remains snow or ice covered." From St. Cloud MN: "Property owners or occupants are responsible for the sidewalks adjacent to their property and must be clear of ice and snow 24 hours after the snow/ice has subsided. To report any unshoveled sidewalks after the 24-hour time frame, you may call . . ."

Terry Star21

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 8:32 p.m.

How about the Pittsfield Township shoveling our sidewalks to compensate for our high taxes and the police service we never see ?

treetowncartel

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 8:05 p.m.

Please note, another unfunded government mandate from the state.

MIKE

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 7:45 p.m.

I guess we'll have to use one of those tiny plastic beach shovels. I would look pretty silly on my snow plow knocking off an inch of powder.

GreenPus

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.

Oh dear. Another Pittsfield Twp Board gets too big for its britches. Remember what happened last time? Some people never learn from the mistakes of their predecessors I guess. Why do politicians always go from one extreme to other... never enforce the existing law, then overcompensating with a ridiculously restrictive one? Pittsfield has weed ordinances, noise ordinances and RV ordinances too. They are never enforced. And the Pittsfield Police have become expert at avoiding work by calling everything a "civil matter". If the township would just do its job of enforcing existing law, we would not need new, ridiculous, purely symbolic ordinances.

Brad

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 6:32 p.m.

FYI, it's 1"+ in Ann Arbor as well.

xmo

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 6:31 p.m.

I wonder if the State & City will create the "office of snow measurement" to measure the snow so everyone knows when it snows at least one inch?

Les Gov

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 6:20 p.m.

How funny!! Pittsfield Twp doesn't care about a large trash pile at a bus stop but Pittsfield Twp caress about one inch of snow.

rs

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 5:50 p.m.

Geeze, the Pittsfield board must think people have nothing better to do than wait for a snowflake to drop. It would be great if this rule was reverse-enforced and the township had to plow there streets every time there was 2" of snow or face a fine.

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 5:31 p.m.

Given that Pittsfield police are never around to enforce the speed limits in my neighborhood, I sincerely doubt they will be around to enforce this, either. The only thing worse than a bad law is a bad law that goes unenforced. Congratulations to Pittsfield Township for accomplishing the latter. Good Night and Good Luck

RuralMom

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 5:24 p.m.

Well lets hope Pittsfield Township can adhere to their own rule! If not that might leave them liable should someone slip and fall on their property.

USRepublic

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 5:18 p.m.

Nanny State..... Or is it a way to raise revenue? This is getting ridiculous......

quitoslady

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 5:18 p.m.

What are they going to do get the snow police out with a ruler? If someone is at work what happens then. Stupid idea

Kai Petainen

Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 5:11 p.m.

HAHAHAHAHAHAH.... you've got to be kidding. You have to shovel when its 1 inch or less? Wimps. I come from Northern Ontario... they get a lot more snow than that, and they learn to deal with it. But if you make a rule that they have to shovel it when its less than 1 inch??? Seriously? My Canadian friends are going to laugh at this! I should forward this onto the Canadian National news..... Oh let me guess... school will be cancelled as well. That way, the kids can be made to do the shovelling. "Mom, dad, do I have to shovel"? "Yes child, it's the law"