Snow Removal By-law

Please be advised that the Weston Annual Town Meeting held on May 11, 2009 unanimously approved a Snow Removal by-law, which was added to section IV: Use of Ways in the Town's General By-laws. This new regulation prohibits the depositing of snow onto or across any public way, including sidewalks or public property. This by-law addresses the ongoing problem of private contractors plowing snow from private driveways into the public way. This causes unsafe road conditions that must be corrected by the DPW.

Violation tickets will be issued to the snow removal contractor and/or the property owner under the non-criminal disposition by-law. This new by-law will be strictly enforced. Your anticipated cooperation is appreciated. The by-law reads as follows:

No Snow Deposited in Public Way By-law

Article IV, Section 5: No person, other than an employee or other person in the service of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the Town of Weston shall direct, discharge, dump, shovel, pile, push, blow, plow or deposit snow, ice, or water under conditions where water would be subject to freezing onto, into or across any public way, including sidewalks or public property, or cause, direct, sanction or authorize any such activity involving snow, ice, or water on a public way or public property.

This by-law may be enforced as provided in Article V, Sections 1 and 2 of the general by-laws, including non-criminal disposition.


No Interference with the Removal of Snow

Also under the Use of Ways in the Town's General By-laws, is a provision for the liability of interference during a snow removal event.

Article IV, Section 3: The Superintendent of Streets shall have authority for the purpose of removing or plowing snow, or removing ice from any public way, to remove, or cause to be removed, to some convenient place, including in such term a public garage, any vehicle interfering with such work and the owner of such vehicle shall be liable to the Town for the cost of such removal and storage charges.

Additional Information

The Town of Weston's Snow and Ice policy and response plan is available on the Department of Public Work's web pages, as well as a Frequently Asked Questions page.