Reminder: Cars Left On Village Streets
Overnight In Snowstorm Will Be Towed
COOPERSTOWN – Beginning with the next major snowstorm, the Village of Cooperstown will begin towing cars that are left on the streets overnight, Police Chief Frank Cavalieri announced today.
Overnight parking during storms has always been prohibited, but not enforcing the law became a particular challenge after the 29-inch snowfall on Dec. 17, when a few cars remained buried under snowbanks on streets for several days, he said.
Village police have posted a notice on the Facebook page and are seeking to get the word out.
The chief said most residents are aware of the law, but he doesn’t want travelling nurses or doctors who may not be aware of it to have their vehicles towed.
This was a significant problem in the City of Oneonta during the 30-inch snowfall (Dec. 17, I believe, NOT December 30) as well. The City has a Snow Emergency ordinance, but for some reason did not see fit to tow the many cars left on the streets. The result was that plows had to go around parked cars, leaving many streets barely one lane wide. And even after the owners dug their vehicles out, the huge snowbanks remained until several days later when the City (with NYS DOT help) came back through to finish clearing and widening the streets. It would be nice if the City of Oneonta (as well as the Village of Cooperstown) would enforce their ordinances – not doing so is a disservice to the DPW snow plow crews and a safety hazard for anyone driving on the city streets.
THANKS, DOUG – DATE IS FIXED, ED.