City residents advised to take vehicles off streets for snow emergencies

The day after the Dec. 13, six-inch snowfall that closed schools and Van Buren Township offices, the Belleville Planning Commission heard a report from Building Official/DPW Director Rick Rutherford about clearing the city streets.
He said he was operating after having just two hours of sleep the night before.
Rutherford said the city declared a snow emergency, which meant people should get their vehicles off city streets so his department could plow.
And, some didn’t and it was hard to plow around parked vehicles.
Rutherford said the city’s snow emergency was announced on television and on the community electronic bulletin board at Main and High.
Planning Commissioner Kelly Bates asked if they could put it on Nixel next time and Rutherford said they could.
City Manager Diana Kollmeyer said it’s illegal for people to snowblow their snow into the roadway. She said West Huron River Drive was good on her way home, except where the snow was pushed into the roadway.
Rutherford said they try to enforce it.
He said it was past 2 a.m. earlier that day when he was coming down Main Street and he saw a person blowing a large amount of snow into the street. He said a lot of businesses were complaining.
She said city hall got a lot of complaints and she told the staff to brace themselves because that always happens with the first snowfall of the season.
There are always complaints about the city trucks putting snow over newly shoveled driveways as they plow the streets, she said.
Commissioners complimented the city workers on their snow-removal efforts.
On the agenda of the Dec. 14 meeting was approval of a sign for White Pine Dentistry, which recently opened with a temporary sign at 187 Main Street.
Andy Smith, owner of FASTSIGNS of Ann Arbor, was on hand to present the PVC-covered wood, non-illuminated sign that he had reduced in size to meet the ordinance.
The streetscape wall at his corner was a consideration in the design of the sign.
“He was willing to show up as a good business man,” Rutherford said.
Commissioner Michael Renaud said the sign doesn’t comply with the ordinance because it should be a monument sign. But, he said, a monument sign wouldn’t be appropriate. He said he thinks the sign presented is fine.
He said the 24″ wall in front of the sign would block some of the sign and the ordinance needs revising.
The commission approved the sign as presented.
Then, commissioners pointed out several signs in the city that are not compliant with the ordinance.
“We do need to look at the sign ordinance,” Rutherford agreed.
Commissioner John Juriga said there are seven major religions and the cross at Hayward’s is inappropriate. He said he is a Christian, but he thinks that cross should go.
City Manager Kollmeyer said the cross is on private property.
Rutherford said the Supreme Court ruled on content and the cross is not a sign.
“I’ll enforce what the council wants,” Rutherford said, listing his many duties. “If you want me to spend my time at 34th District Court on an uphill battle on a greasy slope, that’s what I’ll do.”
No one asked him to do that.
Commissioner Henry Kurczewski asked Rutherford to give the commission a list of issues they could address that could make his job easier.
Commission chairman Steve Jones said there have been court cases and updates in technology since the last time the commission looked at the sign ordinance.
Jones said the commission will look at the sign ordinance and it will be on the February agenda. In January they will finish up work on the Master Plan draft.
Kollmeyer said the desired joint meeting with the Belleville Downtown Development Authority and the City Council on the Master Plan could be set in February at the earliest.