West Chester is gearing up for a long stretch of wintry weather, and the borough is not playing around. Mayor Lillian L. DeBaptiste has declared a snow emergency that starts at 10 a.m. on Sunday and runs straight through 6 p.m. on Tuesday. During that time, parking is banned on all designated snow emergency routes, and officials warn that cars left on those streets may be towed at the owner’s expense. To give residents somewhere to go, the borough says downtown municipal garages will be open for displaced vehicles, and some borough services will shift while crews focus on keeping the roads clear.
What the Snow Emergency Means for Parking and Towing
According to the emergency notice from West Chester Borough, the snow emergency runs from 10 a.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Tuesday, and “vehicles parked on the snow emergency route WILL BE TOWED at the owner's expense.” Residents who normally park on snow emergency routes are directed to use the Chestnut Street or Bicentennial garages while the order is in effect. The notice adds that vehicles left on the top levels of those garages will also be towed, so drivers are expected to park on covered or interior levels only.
If Your Car Is Towed
If your vehicle does get towed, the borough directs owners to West End Towing N' Storage for retrieval. Public listings show the tow yard at 741 Downingtown Pike, with a contact phone number of (610) 692-3110. Vehicle owners are on the hook for all towing and storage charges.
Trash Pickup, Borough Hall and Sidewalk Rules
The borough’s alert says trash collection for Monday and Tuesday routes is canceled for the duration of the storm response. Residents on those routes can put out one extra bag on their next regularly scheduled pickup, on March 2 and March 3, with no blue bag required. Borough Hall offices will be closed on Monday, and officials are reminding property owners that they are responsible for clearing sidewalks and fire hydrants next to their properties while public works crews handle the streets and other public rights of way.
The borough is sharing updates on its social media channels and website, and the original notice along with added guidance is posted on the borough’s Facebook page.
