Cranbury Committee Considers Snow Removal Ordinance

While many people’s thoughts turn to summer, the Cranbury Township Committee injected a shot of cold into this week’s committee meeting. Snow removal was a topic of discussion Monday as Committeeman Jay Taylor introduced the issue, noting the township does not have a snow ordinance on its books.

Taylor said a number of residents in town sent letters and emails asking the committee to consider a snow ordinance that would have two components, one pertaining to snow removal on sidewalks and a second addressing the creation of a snow route for vehicles on Main Street.

During the work session, committee members and residents raised many questions, not about adopting an ordinance, but how it would work. Those questions included how long it would take before residents would have to shovel the sidewalk in front of their home after the snowfall; where car owners living on Main Street will be asked to park their vehicles; and what would happen if residents were to be out of town during an accumulating snowfall.

In an effort to address these and other questions, Taylor said that he and Township Administrator Denise Marabello would review current snow ordinances in neighboring towns such as Plainsboro and draft a resolution for Cranbury.

Some residents present at the meeting said a resolution would be important to the community. Bonnie Larson expressed concerns of where to would put the shoveled snow, stating that there is no room to put it adjacent to her walkway or driveway. Mary Speer was one of the residents who expressed concern about school children having to navigate around the snow piles on the sidewalks of Main Street.

Taylor said there is no exact timeline on when a resolution would be proposed, or if and when an ordinance would be adopted, but he did say it is important that it be addressed.

“Ideally we’ll bring it up and have it resolved sooner rather than later,” Taylor said. “I like to get things on the table, off the table as quickly as possible. Within the next few months we’ll have a resolution on this one way or the other.”