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Ordinance committee sends revised snow‑clearing language for bus stops to city council
Summary
The Bristol Ordinance Committee voted to forward an amendment to sidewalk/snow‑removal rules that targets CT Transit stops and reduces the required cleared width to a minimum 4‑foot path so riders can reach buses; the measure moves to city council for final action.
The Bristol Ordinance Committee voted Tuesday to send amended sidewalk and snow‑removal language to the City Council that would require property owners to clear a minimum path to certain bus stops, but only where the stop is a CT Transit location.
The committee moved to add the CT Transit qualifier and to reduce the initially proposed 10‑foot clearing to a four‑foot minimum for a path to the bus; the motion was seconded and approved. The measure will be considered by the City Council as the next step in the ordinance process.
Why it matters: public‑works staff said the change responds to complaints that winter snowbanks can block safe boarding at bus stops. Director of Public Works Raybur Vasquezka (S5) told the committee the change is complaint‑driven and described the goal as an urgent safety fix: “Wewere knocking down the sight‑line hazard so someone doesnt die in the next hour,” he said.
Residents and committee members debated where the citys obligation should end. Mary Ann Seyroys (S3), a local resident who spoke during public comment, said the original 10‑foot requirement would be too onerous for most single‑family homeowners and urged a narrower, 3‑ to 4‑foot path so riders can reach buses without imposing an undue burden on property owners. “What Im proposing is they make a path, a 3‑foot, a 4‑foot path to get to the bus,” Seyroys said.
Committee members discussed differences between clearing the paved sidewalk and clearing the adjacent grass or planting strip commonly called the border. Some members raised concerns about enforcement and whether the city would be required to remove snow on private property rather than charging property owners; public‑works staff said the draft language aims to let the city remove immediate safety hazards without routinely charging homeowners in the same way sidewalk‑clearance enforcement currently does.
Next steps: the committees approved motion forwards the amended language to the City Council for consideration and any additional public hearings or edits.
