Snow Removal on Sidewalks

Does anyone on the HOA Board know when the snow is going to be removed on the common area sidewalks. I'm worried about all of the people who are walking in the streets.

Thanks!

 

There are still many sidewalks in our community not cleared, both in areas maintained by the HOA and by the developer.

With the warmer weather forecast for this week, it will be easier for the HOA, the developer and also for homeowners to clear the snow from all sidewalks.

If anyone knows of a specific area that needs attention, please post it here. We'll check it out as quickly as possible.

Thanks -
Jan,
Broadlands Association

 

Vestal's Gap b/w Clairborne Pky & DeMott needs to be cleared.

 

Wes has contacted our contractor to have it done today. It is in the HOA's maintained area.

If anyone else knows of any areas anywhere in the Broadlands, please post them here or forward to the appropriate contact (from the snow removal information which was in the newsletter).

 

Jan,

The sidewalks along Broadlands Blvd were never cleared after the last snow "storms."

Also, I understand that when the contractors plow the roads, they will create large banks of snow at the street corners. However, these snow banks also block the entrance/exit to any sidewalks. As a homeowner with a sidewalk in front of my house, I clear the walk up to the large snow bank on the street corner, but I'm not about to shovel through the snow bank to open the sidewalk up to the street for the kids to reach the school bus (although I did this weekend because the snow bank melted somewhat). Those banks are not on my property and they should be cleared by the developer for now, and the HOA later, within the same time limit we homeowners have to clear our sidewalks.

Thank you,
GCyr

 

I realize we got a lot of snow this last month, but some of the snow piles at the street corners are too big. They reduce visibility around the corners, so you can not see traffic coming. This is very dangerous. I, for one, do not feel safe turning these corners because I am worried about somebody hitting my car.
Is it possible to have the snow removal teams place the snow is some other location (for the next storms).

Thanks!

 

I don't know much about snow plowing but I will ask the developer, the HOA and VDOT what can be done about the piles at the intersections.

All 4 corners at Ellzey and Thornhill/Schoolhouse are piled high with snow and this is a major sidewalk for children walking to school (Hillside), not to mention a bus stop for middle schoolers. I don't have a solution (except shoveling) but piling snow 6 feet high in that particular location is really unsafe. I haven't walked the other areas of the Broadlands but I'm sure almost every intersection is like this (based on the replies above and my drivebys).

So, I'm going to check up on this whole snow removal thing in regards to sidewalks/intersections. The answer I get might be - "lots of snow this year, nowhere else to put it" but I'll let everyone know what 'THEY' say.

Plus, I'll find out about BL Blvd. sidewalks.

 

Regarding HOA sidewalks: The contractor attempted to plow areas over the weekend but the snow was too hard and deep for them to make any progress. The company rented a bobcat and was supposed to do sidewalks last evening.

Regarding Broadlands Blvd: The developer has been concentrating on sidewalks used by school children mainly but they did clear long sections of certain trails to allow some sections of convenient walking. Broadlands Blvd. has not been cleared yet.

Regarding intersection piling: I haven't talked to many people yet, but what I've heard so far is that there is no other place for the snow to go. I requested the county ordinance on snow removal for sidewalks (we might have a copy already and it also might be online, but I'm getting it mailed to me) so I understand that aspect of it better. I'll see if I can track anything down on street snow removal guidelines, too.

Snow removal in the Broadlands is being added as an agenda item to the next BOD meeting in April. If you have any comments regarding snow removal, please email the HOA, the BOD or post them here so your comments can be considered at the meeting.

Thanks,
Jan

 

Jan,

I understand why the plows have to push the snow somewhere when plowing the street corners, but I did see a tractor go by a few times clearing up behind the plows within the internal streets. This same tractor could clear an opening at the street corners to allow access to the sidewalks (and lower the snow banks for visibility). The tractor could have used its scoop to hauled and dumped the excess snow across Broadlands Blvd to the unused commercial side. I'm sure that other areas have similar spots where the excess snow could be hauled and dumped.

My concern is that the school bus stops on Broadlands Blvd at my street intersection. My portion of the sidewalk is cleared (maybe not always on schedule...) but the kids have to walk in the street because they can't get to the cleared sidewalk which is blocked by a huge bank of snow on the corner. It isn't just the sidewalks near the schools that need attention but also those along the bus routes and bus stops.

Why isn't the HOA or developer required to clear sidewalks within the same 6 hour time frame required by Loudoun County? Check the latest newsletter for details and HOA statements to this affect. Shouldn't the HOA abide by the same rules they publish for home owners? At the rate the sidewalk clearing is going, just wait another day or two and the sidewalks will cleared of snow naturally.

GCyr

 

I can't speak for the developer's knowledge of bus stops or their snow plowing status on Broadland's Blvd. but I will definitely let them know about this posting.

About the snow piles, I've seen the developer clearing snow from some intersections in the area. I don't think VDOT has done that in our community but I don't know for sure. I'm pretty sure the huge piles of snow at intersections, if covering sidewalk that borders a property, need to be cleared by the the owner/tenant/land owner. I don't know what we can do to get them cleared by other means. I've emailed VDOT about this issue - asking if there was a policy that prohibited street snow from being plowed onto sidewalks, just to shake things up. I haven't heard back yet but I'll let you know what VDOT says.

We were trying to figure out at the HOA offices which sidewalks needed to be cleared first for school kids but we don't have school route information. I think the office should have all information possible about walker's routes, bus stops, number of students per stop, etc. and I will try to set up a routine where we get the information from Loudoun County Public Schools each fall.

I can't really speak for the HOA snow removal either as Wes handles the contract with the snow removal company. I let Wes know about all these postings and he follows up. Our snow removal contractor was not able to handle amount of snow, just as homeowners had trouble. Ways to handle this better are being discussed with the contractor, and as I mentioned earlier, this is an agenda item for the next BOD meeting.

I wouldn't think the HOA or the developer are exempt from the snow removal time frame but I know both have been trying. Vestal's Gap was cleared last night down to the layer of ice, then salted. We shoveled it today to get it to pavement but it was still a difficult process.

If there are other areas that need attention (aside from Broadland Blvd.), please post them here.

Thanks.

 

As a side note, I'm not sure about other sidewalks but the contractor did a horrible job of clearing them near Claiborne & Vestals gap. They ripped the bejeebers out of the grass and flung mud everywhere.