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Politics & Government

Cranbury Considers Snow Removal Ordinance

Proposed rules would require residents and businesses to shovel sidewalks or face fines.

The Cranbury Township Committee is considering an ordinance that would require residents and businesses to remove snow from their sidewalks within a given period of time or face fines.

The ordinance, which could have included fines of up to $500, was proposed last month by Committeeman Jay Taylor after a number of residents contacted him asking that the committee consider a snow ordinance.

The committee is divided over the need for an ordinance, while a majority of the members of the public who spoke Monday night opposed the proposed rules.

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Committeeman Dan Mulligan was the first to offer his opinion stating that there should be no ordinance introduced, but rather, a set of guidelines for business owners and residents.

“Just some friendly guidelines and definitely no law,” Mulligan said.

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Township resident Steve Root, who lives on the corner of Wynnewood Drive and Cranbury Neck Road has a total of about 570 feet of sidewalk that he would have to clear. He said that he is against an ordinance that would require all sidewalks be shoveled.

“I think it would be really onerous to have to shovel Wynnewood Drive, where no one uses the sidewalk, but I do shovel Cranbury Neck Road.”

Resident Beverly Luck said it is a safety issue.

”It’s very dangerous to have people in the street,” she said. “The commuter traffic is incredible and it is a safety issue. Last year you couldn’t even get from a crosswalk over the curb because the crosswalks weren’t even clear.”

Committeeman Glenn Johnson, who lives on Main Street, said he is in favor of an ordinance, as well, also citing safety concerns.

“We need some enforceability,” he said. “I think we need something better than what we have now which is essentially nothing, and we have had people come to the prior meetings who have said their kids and other kids have walked in the street around properties not shoveled and they have a bad situation. We also have a lot of elderly people too.”

No formal action was taken last evening, however, the topic of the snow ordinance will be discussed again at the committee’s July 25 meeting.

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