street and service department policies :: STREET DEPARTMENT :: VILLAGE HALL

As Winter comes to an end each year and the first days of spring arrive, the South Russell Service Department and the Village of South Russell make plans for spring street sweeping. With the hopes that only one or two more snows will fall and their presence will be short term, sweeping of all village streets are usually scheduled to begin about the first week in April. Sweeping will only continue if weather permits and a large amount of rainwater is not present.

All village streets, cul-de-sacs and turnarounds will be swept to remove winter debris and cinders. Any resident's property with excess plowed material (cinders) from the roadway in their yard may rake this material to the road's edge. If your street has a current gravel berm, this material can be use as fill in low areas and around mailboxes. On streets such as these, the material should not be placed on the asphalt road surface. If your yard grass line meets the edge of the road, cinder material may be raked onto the first foot of road surface. This will allow the sweeper to clean up while maintaining a neat grass edge line. No additional material such as limbs or yard waste is acceptable. Larger amounts of cinders left behind from the snowmelt in cul-de-sac areas or the turnouts of village roads will be cleaned up by the service department.

While property and yard clean up is taking place, this is a good time to inspect your mailboxes for post damage and mailbox securely. Mailboxes should be inspected for security of mailbox to main post. Main posts should also be inspected for damage. Main post deterioration (rotting) often occurs below grade. Locations of mailboxes are important to both the Postal Service and South Russell Service Department. Mailboxes need to be located so travels of postal vehicles remain on the main surface of the roadway and not on the berm. An attached sheet from the postal service is being provided for assistance.

Ditch lines and driveway culvert pipes should be inspected. Both are the responsibility of each homeowner to maintain and should be kept clear and free of leaves, limbs and tall grasses. No standing water should be present and the cause may be corrected with minor cleaning of a ditch or driveway culvert pipe.

During time of elections, political signs may not be placed in the village right-of-way. All signs must be on private property with permission of the property owner. Signs found in the village right-of-way will be collected and stored at the village service garage for a period not to exceed five days after the election. All remaining signs on private property shall be removed within five days of the election or they will be collected and disposed of by the service department

Driveway installations or overlays with work in the village right-of-way must have a permit and be inspected by the Street Commissioner during and upon completion. Permits and contractor registration may be obtained through the South Russell Building Department

Ditches and driveway culvert pipes are the responsibility of the homeowner to replace, repair and maintain.

Ordinance 1010.09 - Obstruction in ditches and driveway culverts

No owner or occupant of abutting land shall fail to keep all ditches and driveway culverts free from leaves, tree limbs, silt, dirt, trash, or any other nuisance or obstruction to the flow of storm water.

Ordinance 1010.08 - Driveway Culverts: Grading

(a) Before installing a driveway culvert along a roadside ditch within the dedicated portion of a public street in the village, the owner of the abutting property shall first obtain a right-of-way permit as provided in Section 1010.03. The length, diameter, depth and level of, and materials to be used in such culvert shall first be approved by the Street Commissioner. The installation of such culvert shall be subject to the approval and inspection of the Street Commissioner. Every culvert pipe hereinafter installed in such a street shall be at least twenty feet in length and twelve inches in diameter. The flow of such culvert pipe shall be at least on foot six inches in depth below the edge of the pavement of the street.

(b) No person shall fill in, cover, regrade or alter the course or grade of any roadside ditch or otherwise change the grade of a ditch, tree lawn or any portion of a dedicated street in the Village, without first obtaining a right-of-way permit therefor. Any such filling in, covering, regrading or alteration shall be subject to the approval and inspection, at all times of the Street Commissioner.

When road surfaces become snow covered, crews will address them in a priority system. Primary roads will be done first, including Bell and Snyder Roads, East Washington Street, Daisy Lane and Chillicothe Road (if it has not been attended to by the Ohio Department of Transportation).

Secondary roads and side streets are cleared as snowplow drivers’ routes dictate. Cul-de-sacs and turnarounds are low on the priority list and will be cleared as a cleanup procedure.

Visitors’ vehicles should be parked on the same side of the road and not in the smaller cul-de-sacs. Overnight parking without advance approval from South Russell Police Department is not permitted and may result in early morning awakening or towing of vehicle.

South Russell uses a salt-and-cinder combination to clear its roads. In most situations, the salt starts to work immediately, and the cinders have a more lasting effect, even if road surfaces become snow covered again. A stronger cinder mixture is used in extremely cold temperatures when salt has little or no effect. Cinders will be used less on streets with storm sewer drains because of the blocking effect on the drainage system.

Several companies provide residential trash collection on different days throughout the village. Residents are reminded to place trash containers within their driveway aprons and not into the roadway. Open recycling bins containing light material should be protected from the wind and weighted down to prevent spillage.

“It is this time of year that we want to make your visits and travels safe. Please consider the job we are trying to accomplish and the size and weight of the vehicles we are operating. With slower speed and a little bit of extra time, we will all get to our destinations safely.”

Ordinance 660.06 - Prohibiting moving snow onto a public street

No person shall cause any snow to be moved from any premises, drive, parking area, or sidewalk, onto or to be placed upon any portion of the traveled surface of any public street within South Russell Village, including pushing or mechanically blowing snow across Village streets.

Ordinance 452.08 - Parking Emergency Parking Regulations

(a) Whenever snow accumulation of two inches or more exists on any street or highway within the Village or is predicted to accumulate to such level by the National Weather Service, a snow emergency is declared to exist. In addition, the Mayor, Street Commissioner, or Police Chief may declare a snow emergency to exist whenever any such official concludes that road conditions, due to snow or ice, are so adverse as to constitute a potential public hazard impairing normal transportation.

(b) No person shall park or cause to be parked or permit or suffer to remain parked any vehicle upon any Village street during any time or period when a snow emergency is declared to be in effect under Subsection (a) hereof; provided, however, that vehicles may be parked for a period not longer than three minutes for actual loading or unloading of passengers, or thirty minutes for actual loading of unloading of property; provided, further, that no other ordinance restricting parking as to place or time is violated thereby.

Prior to the winter season and in the spring, homeowners should inspect mailboxes and mailbox posts. Posts should be firmly set in the ground. Rotted or weakened wood below ground grade may cause the post to fail and fall. Inspecting the mailbox for security to the main posts should also be made. Damage to the mailbox or post by snow being removed from the roadways is the responsibility of the homeowners. Damage imposed by the Service Department vehicles will be addressed per incident. Proper height of the mailbox is required by the post office for mail delivery.

Proper setback from the road surface is essential for postal vehicle delivery and snow removal during the winter.

Directions for mailbox and post installation is available from the post office or copies can be picked up at the South Russell Service Garage.