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News Release

MEDIA CONTACT:
Marylou Berg, Communication Manager, 240-314-8105
    

Rockville Declares Snow Emergency
Vehicles Must be Moved Off Roads to Designated Side of Street to Allow Clearing of Neighborhoods 

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 2, 2009 - Rockville City Manager Scott Ullery declared a snow emergency as of 11 a.m. Monday, March 2, giving residents notice that they must move their vehicles off of neighborhood roads where possible or to the designated side of the street to allow Department of Public Works crews to more easily plow snow.

Rockville's snow emergency plan is geared specifically toward helping clear residential streets. Most jurisdictions that have snow emergency plans apply those plans to major streets. After the City Manager declares a snow emergency, residents are requested to park their cars in available garages or driveways on their properties. When that is not possible, residents are required to park only on sides of the street with even house numbers. Once that lane and the main part of the street are cleared, cars must be moved to the cleared curb (odd-numbered side). Violators may be ticketed or towed. When both sides of the street are cleared, cars can be parked in regular spaces.

Conditions leading to a "snow emergency" are significant, deep snow. If the City Manager has declared a "snow emergency," the status will be announced through local media, via the City's Web (www.rockvillemd.gov) and on Rockville Channel 11.
 
The "snow emergency" ordinance states:

• Residents with driveways must park all vehicles there.
• Residents without driveways, or who have more vehicles than will fit in the driveway, may park on the even-numbered side of the street only.
  
• In courts or cul-de-sacs, where house numbers are not even on one side of the street and odd on the other, parking is allowed only on the left side of the streets as one enters the cul-de-sac or court.
  
• No parking is allowed in the "bulb" of the cul-de-sac or court.
  
• After the snowfall ends and the odd-numbered side of the street is cleared, vehicles must be moved to the odd-numbered side to allow plows to clear the even-numbered side.
  
• The City may remove or impound cars improperly parked.
  
• A fine of $100 for a "snow emergency" parking violation may be incurred.
  
• For more information about the policy, call the Public Works Department at 240-314-8566.
  

 
In addition to the parking restrictions, residents are reminded of the Snow Ordinance, which requires that snow must be removed from all sidewalks, steps, driveways, parking spaces and the paved right-of-way sidewalk immediately fronting or abutting a property. This includes access ramps and curb cuts designed for use by people with disabilities.
 
Snow and ice removal must occur within 48 hours if it is more than 3 inches. Call 240-314-8330 for more information.

Due to the inclement weather, some City facilities have closed and some programs have been canceled. The information below details those closures and cancellations as of  10:30 a.m.

• Parking meter enforcement is suspended for the day.
  
• The Rockville Municipal Swim Center will open at 11 a.m., but all classes scheduled for today have been canceled. A decision regarding swim team practices will be made by 2 p.m. Call 240-314-8750.
  
• The Thomas Farm Community Center, Lincoln Park Community Center and Twinbrook Community Recreation Center are open. Classes and programs at all centers have been canceled for the day.
  
• The Rockville Senior Center is open from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for drop-in use only. All classes and programs are canceled for the day. There will be no transportation to and from the center and lunch is canceled.
  
• All recreation class programs and sports programs have been canceled.
  
• All preschool and childcare programs in Montgomery County Public Schools are canceled, as are all city activities in Montgomery County Public Schools.
  
• The climbing gym is closed.
  
• The F. Scott Fitzgerald Box Office is closed on Mondays.
  
• The Croydon Creek Nature Center is closed on Mondays.
  

Recycling and refuse is being collected as scheduled. Yard waste will not be collected today; instead it will be collected on the next regularly scheduled collection day.
 
For more information, call City Hall at 240-314-5000 or visit www.rockvillemd.gov/ and click on Weather Preparedness under Top Stories.

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