Compare The Response

Earlier we passed on CA's response to this record-breaking snow event, warning that folks would be towed if they tried to park in an association lot.

Here's Montgomery County's way of handling things:

County Extends Suspension of Enforcement in Public
Parking Lots and Garages Through Thursday

The County will continue to allow free parking through Thursday in County-operated parking garages and lots in the parking lot districts in Wheaton, Silver Spring, Bethesda and Montgomery Hills. To see maps of the parking districts, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/parking.

Residents are encouraged to park in these garages and lots rather than on the street, to make it easier for plowing operations to occur.

Clear Snow From Decks/Flat Roofs

We saw this on the River Hill listserv:

* Reduce the Collapse Risks - Residents are encouraged to shovel all flat roofs and decks to prevent the potential for collapse. Most roofs in Howard County have been designed for a live load of 30 lbs. per square foot (PSF), which relates to 57.7” or approximately 60” (5’) of heavy wet snow. 30 PSF is a uniformly distributed live load, not the absolute failure load. It is also a worst-case, conservative estimate.


The biggest concern is blocked primary and/or secondary roof drains, especially on flat roofs. This becomes an even bigger concern as the snow begins to melt, or if we get rain on top of snow. Collapse warning signs:

1. Visibly sagging roofs or ceilings, either inside or outside.
2. Noticeably opening cracks or building joints.
3. ANY moaning, creaking or cracking sounds from the floors, walls, or especially the roof/ceiling.

If you experience a or b LEAVE THE BUILDING, evaluate the roof loading conditions, and if it can be done safely, mitigate the overloading condition(s) (i.e. clear the drains, reduce the drifts). If you experience c, EVACUATE THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY and Dial 911, then consult with a qualified structural engineer.

Drifting and melting snow can also overload basement foundation walls, causing them to push in and collapse. As the snow starts to melt, general flooding will also be a concern.

(This information has been provided by the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits)

We Surrender

HoCo schools have thrown in the towel:

All Howard County public schools are closed for the remainder of the week. All evening activities in schools, both school-sponsored and community-sponsored, are canceled. This includes high school athletic practices and games.

UPDATE: And so has CA:

Inclement Weather Notice: Due to current weather conditions and forecast, CA will close all facilities today, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. and will remain closed thru Wednesday, Feb. 10. CA Headquarters and Membership Service Center will close today at 4 p.m. and also remain closed thru Wednesday, Feb. 10. The Columbia Art Center will not hold classes today or tomorrow.

Columbia Ice Rink and Owen Brown Tennis Bubble will be closed until further notice.

CA's Inclement Weather Policy will go into effect at 4 p.m. today, meaning that all programs, classes, lessons, etc scheduled after 4 p.m. will be cancelled. KidSpace will be closing at 5 p.m. and is operating under minimum staffing and those with children under the age of two should make reservations before coming to the club.

Parking at the facilities is limited and the County is encouraging residents to stay off the roads.

CA: Not On Our Lot

Several listservs sent this out in response to the county's big snowstorm:

Overnight parking not permitted in CA parking lots
Vehicles will be towed

The Columbia Association (CA) would like to inform residents that overnight parking is not permitted in any CA-owned parking area, including Community Centers and fitness and recreation facilities.  Vehicles that are parked in CA lots overnight will be towed at the owner’s expense.

In the aftermath of the weekend snowstorm, CA’s snow emergency personnel have done a tremendous job clearing roads, parking lots and sidewalks.  With the possibility of another snowstorm over the next several days, CA wants to ensure that all parking areas will remain clear for facilities to remain open and for residents to arrive safely.

Please visit www.ColumbiaAssociation.org or call CA’s Inclement Weather Hotline at 410-715-3154 for the latest weather-related cancellations, postponements or schedule changes at all CA facilities.

Use Care Warming Up The Car

From a Town Center listserv:

A lot of us have cleared snow away from our cars already, but with  more snow on the way and some cars still under snow, can you please   circulate this warning on the Town Center e-mail list? The following  link is to a relevant post on the Baltimore Sun's Maryland Weather   blog. As you might remember, there were a few fatalities in the last   big snow of 2003, when people sat in their cars with the engines running and were overcome by fumes. Apparently, it's happening again.
...
Also, you can access the HoCo snowplow tracker here.

Neighbors Need Help

We've seen several pleas like this one from the Oakland Mills Village Association:

We’ve gotten calls from residents who are unable to shovel their driveways.

Calls are coming in from all over Oakland Mills.  We need able bodied snow shovelers.

IF you can offer assistance anywhere in Oakland Mills please email me your name and

number and I’ll pass that along to those who need help.

...We’ll do the best we can to connect you.

This is most definitely the time to help out one another.

Shovel Power

When a neighborhood gets together it can move mountains (of snow!). And clear a cul-de-sac.

From Drop Box