After a snowfall or other emergency, students and residents in State College may be asked to move their cars to temporary parking to make way for cleanup crews.

The State College Borough Council voted 5-0 last night to enact an ordinance that will allow the borough manager to implement temporary parking in certain areas after a snowstorm. Council members Ruth Lavin and R. Thomas Berner were absent.

The new ordinance would be aimed at reducing snow removal problems next winter. But if Mother Nature isn't finished dumping snow this year, the ordinance will be enforced.

"We're going to be taking some drastic steps next year," Lavin said in an interview last week.

The ordinance will modify temporary traffic and parking provisions by giving the manager the authority to institute temporary changes during times of unusual circumstances.

Lavin said the council discussed the legislation at a work session on March 14. She said borough snow removal crews experienced many problems with cars slowing down the cleanup efforts this year.

The ordinance is aimed at keeping cars off the streets during emergencies, like snow storms. Lavin said most of the cars causing problems belong to students.

Council president Jean McManis said the ordinance allows the manager to make swift moves during emergencies. The manager can institute temporary parking measures, such as allowing parking in areas where parking is usually prohibited. She added this will enable borough snow removal crews to work more efficiently.

During an emergency, Marshall said residents could be asked to move their cars from one side of a street to the other. A snowplow could then remove snow from that side of the street and the cars could then be moved back, Marshall said. Emergencies such as snow, ice and sleet can be classified as exceptionally difficult times, McManis said. She added that the ordinance was enacted because many cars were being left on the streets for long periods of time, which slows the snow removal process down and is more expensive for the borough.

"It makes (snow removal) impossible for cleanup crews," Marshall said.

The temporary parking declared by the manager will be announced on the radio, television and in newspapers, McManis said.