Dick Mell Takes ‘Dibs’ Into His Own Hands

It’s over.

The Blizzard of 2011 is two weeks in the rear view mirror and the massive snow that has tied up parking on side streets is melting off.

So now the city’s patience with the Chicago tradition of using lawn chairs and other junk to save the parking space you just shoveled out has worn out.

Streets & Sanitation has issued a soft reminder and ultimatum to drivers still using space savers to remove their junk off the street as soon as possible.

“The warmer temperatures over the last several days have helped to melt and reduce snow volume, and those above-freezing temperatures are projected to continue throughout the week,” says Streets & Sanitation spokesperson Matt Smith. “Given this extended period of warmer weather, we are asking residents who have placed items in the street to save parking spaces to please begin removing those items — as snow melts, these remaining items add clutter to the public way.”

Smith says Streets & Sanitation crews will start removing any remaining junk off the streets by the end of the week.

“Our present operational priority is completing refuse collections for the week,” explained Smith. “Conditions permitting, as we hope to complete refuse collection on Friday, we will also begin to clear any remaining debris from the streets.”

At least one alderman fed up with the oversized street litter, had announced to constituents he had lost patience as well.

33rd ward alderman Richard Mell had sent out an e-mail blast with “Time to end it” in the subject line early Tuesday morning telling drivers to clean up their junk.

“While it was obvious that we had a special circumstance during the blizzard, this is, in most blocks of our 33rd Ward, no longer the case,” said Mell via e-mail. “I am asking every resident in the 33rd Ward to stop this practice and remove every “dibs” marker. I personally observed an entire block very near our offices where every single space was “dibbed” even though there was very little snow left on the pavement. I expect to see no dibs markers on the streets by the end of the week. Shortly thereafter, I will ask the community to help remove any that remain.”

Mell even provided an e-mail address to report “dibs” abuse and photos.

“Please send pictures of any egregious violations along with the location

addresses to: stopdibs@33rdward.org.”

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