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NOTE:

THE NEW ZONING ORDINANCES FOR THE TOWN OF WEST BEND ARE POSTED UNDER TOWN INFORMATION -ORDINANCES!

THE TOWN OF WEST BEND LEAF & YARD WASTE FACILITY ACCEPTS GRASS CLIPPINGS  LEAVES -(YOU MUST TAKE THE BAGS WITH YOU) AND BRANCHES. BRANCHES ARE TO BE NO MORE THAN 10 FEET LONG AND NO MORE THAN 4 INCHES IN DIAMETER. WHEN DROPPING THE BRANCHES OFF THE ENDS ARE TO BE TO THE OUTSIDE AND ALL ONE DIRECTION. NO STUMPS OR BUILDING MATERIALS ALLOWED. THIS FACILITY IS OPEN TO TOWN OF WEST BEND RESIDENTS ONLY. THE FACILITY IS OPEN EVERY SATURDAY IN MAY, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER AND THE FIRST AND THIRD SATURDAYS IN JUNE, JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. THERE WILL BE A DRIVERS LICENSE CHECK AT THE BEND IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE DROP OFF AREA WILL ALSO BE MONITORED. THIS FACILITY IS FOR BRUSH AND NOT CLEAR CUTTING. THE CHIPPER CAN ONLY HANDLE SO MUCH. YOUR COOPERATION IS MUCH APPRECIATED.

MANY RESIDENTS ARE AWARE OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OWNERSHIP  THE TOWN HAS FOR PROPERTY CONTAINING OUR ROADS. WE WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THOSE UNAWARE! THE TOWN OWNS FROM THE CENTERLINE OF A TOWN ROAD A GIVEN DISTANCE AS DETERMINED BY THE ROAD'S DESIGNATION. THE TOWN ROADS ARE DESIGNATED BY THE WIDTH OF THE ROAD MEASURED IN RODS. A 3 ROD ROAD WITH A WIDTH OF 49 AND 6 INCHES HAS A 24 FOOT 9 INCH RIGHT-OF-WAY. A 4 ROD 66 FOOT WIDTH ROAD HAS A RIGHT OF WAY OF 33 FEET ON EACH SIDE FROM THE CENTERLINE.

WITHIN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTS THE BORDERING PROPERTY OWNER SHOULD KNOW. MOST IMPORTANTLY THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY AND CONTROLLED BY THE TOWN. IT CAN BE USED FOR ROADS AND OTHER MAINTENANCE INCLUDING WIDENING THE ROADS DURING SNOW REMOVAL.

LIMITATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY INCLUDE THE PROHIBITING OF BUILDING OF FENCES, CONCRETE DRIVEWAY APPROACHES WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY AND /OR LANDSCAPING. MANY RESIDENTS PLANT GRASS OR LANDSCAPE TO THE ROADS EDGE. IF DAMAGE OCCURS TO ANY OF THE ABOVE IN THE PROCESS OF SNOWPLOWING OR MAINTENANCE, IT IS NOT THE TOWN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE OR REPLANT ETC. ENCROACHMENTS OR OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE ROAD RIGHT- OF- WAY IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED PER MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 8.02.

WARNING!

PLEASE BE ADVISED IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON TO PLOW, SHOVEL OR OTHERWISE DEPOSIT OR PLACE SNOW ON THE MAINTAINED PORTION OF THE PUBLIC ROAD WITHIN THE TOWN, OR TO PERMIT SUCH DEPOSITING OF SNOW FROM PROPERTY OCCUPIED OR OWNED BY YOU! THIS IS MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE 8.04. ANY PERSON WILL BE CITED.

NO PERSON SHALL PARK, PLACE OR LEAVE STANDING ANY AUTOMOBILE, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE ON ANY STREET OR PUBLIC WAY DURING SNOW PLOWING OPERATIONS. THE TOWN BOARD DECLARES THAT AN EMERGENCY EXISTS DURING AND FOLLOWING A SNOW STORM UNTIL THE SNOW FROM THE STORM HAS BEEN REMOVED. THIS IS MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE 7.05 (3) (A).

ANY VEHICLE IS GOING TO BE CITED! THE DPW HAS POLICE POWERS NOW SO PARKING TICKETS WILL BE PLACED ON WINDSHIELDS OF VEHICLES THAT ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE PARKING DURING SNOW STORMS. IF MUNICIPAL CITATION IS NOT PAID THIS WILL GO TO THE DOT AS AN UNPAID TICKET.

WINTER MAINTENANCE POLICY

The Town of West Bend roads are subject to freezing rain, ice, snow and drifting at any time from November through April. The Town Board endeavors to maintain adequate traction for vehicles properly equipped for winter driving conditions. This does not mean bare, dry pavement should be expected after each snowfall or ice storm. Futhermore, it does not mean the roads will be free of ice and snow.

SNOW AND ICE CONTROL

The Town is responsible for the maintenance of approximately 45 miles of roads. By Wisconsin State Statute 81.15, the town has three (3) weeks to remove natural snow and ice accumulations. The Town's goal is to maintain the roads in good winter driving conditions as weather, equipment and budget allows.

Planning and Preparing for snow and ice operations are difficult due to the uniqueness of each storm. No two storms are ever identical. Factors such as rate of snowfall, moisture content, accumulations, temperatures, time of day and wind velocity determines the uniqueness of each storm.

During snow and ice storms, town road crews will respond to emergency conditions to the extent possible. The town will not respond to unverified emergency requests direct from the public. The requests must come from the appropriate agency (i.e. fire, police, etc.). The Town will not take any responsibility for the removal of snow that is plowed into private driveways during road clearing operations.

PRIVATE DRIVEWAYS

Driveway maintenance is the property owner's responsibility. The Town of West Bend, the Town Board, Town employees and operators are not responsible for snow removal from private driveways and yards. The Town's equipment will not remove snow from yards or driveways. The Town of West Bend, The Town Board, Town employees and operators are not responsible for any damage to private driveways and yards occurred during snow removal operations.

ICE REMOVAL

The Town of West Bend uses abrasive sand treated with rock salt. The sand will only be applied at the curves, most intersections, hills and steep grades. Certain weather conditions may allow the sand-salt to promote a thawing or clearing of compact snow and /or ice. There is no State or Federal law that requires the Town to apply salt and/or sand-salt. Salt and/or sand-salt will only be applied as much as the budget and/or availability allows.

SNOW REMOVAL

Planning for a snow removal operation begins when there is one( 1) inch or more of snow expected to accumulate. The Town Chairman or his/her designee, along with Washington County Highway Department, has the authority to suspend snow and ice control operations during severe storm conditions when there is a danger to operators or it is not practical or cost effective to continue. No guarantee is made or implied as to the length of the snow and ice removal operations. The main objective of snow removal operations is to plow the blacktop surfaces to the shoulders, wing and possibly bench after roads are opened and try to clear the center to bare surface if possible.

MAILBOXES

Operators are instructed to be very cautious near the mailboxes. In most cases a properly installed mailbox will permit a snowplow to clear the snow underneath it. Most cases of damaged mailboxes are caused by heavy snow hitting the box. Most mailboxes are seldom hit by the plow. If damage to a mailbox is due to the plow blade or plow vehicle physically striking it reimbursement of $30.00 or placement of a standard U.S. Postal Office rural box by the Town can be obtained by filling out a Mailbox Accident Claim Form at which time the Town Highway Department determines if the damage was done by the snowplowing equipment physically striking the mailbox.

SAND BARRELS

Sand barrels and boxes will be placed at strategic locations determined by the Town's Department of Public Works. They will be filled regularly with an salt/sand mixture for use on intersections, hills and town roads.

COMPLAINTS

Complaints given to spouses or other family members, if given in a respectable manner, will be relayed to the proper personnel. The Town Board, employees, spouses and family members will not deal with rude, obscene or belligerent complaints.