8.3. SR 09-08-2015 Eclty1� ,.,�� Request for Action
River
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 8.3
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
General Business September 8, 2015 Suzanne Fischer,Director, CODD
Item Description Reviewed by
Snow and Ice Control Policy Mark Thompson, Streets Superintendent
Ron Nierenhausen, Chief of Police
Reviewed by
Cal Portner, City Administrator
Action Requested
Amend,by motion, Ordinance 74-102 Snow Removal Parking, and approve by motion, the revised Snow
and Ice Control Policy.
Background/Discussion
Over the last two snow seasons, staff identified areas of the existing ordinance and policy that require
updates to more accurately reflect the documents intent. The proposed revisions include:
■ Amend Ordinance 74-102 to change parking restrictions as documented in the attachment.
■ Revise the Snow and Ice Control Policy to:
• clarify that non-designated city sidewalks are the responsibility of the property owner.
• residents violating winter parking restrictions are subject to a citation and fines.
• residents placing driveway snow on public roadways are subject to a citation and fines.
• mailboxes damaged by city equipment will be replaced with the U.S. Postal Service `swing-
away' style; or, the resident will be reimbursed up to $75 (w/receipt), to replace the
mailbox with one of their choice.
• trash containers will be added to the list of`Disallowable Items'in the public ROW.
The proposed revisions will reduce obstructions in the roadways and allow plow operators to more
efficiently complete their routes.
The amendment and policy revisions have been reviewed by City Attorney, Scott Baumgartner.
Financial Impact
N/A
Attachments
■ Ordinance 74-102
■ Revised Snow& Ice Control Policy
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• Sec. 74-102. - Snow removal parking.
(a)
Parking restrictions. Public safety requires the rapid and efficient removal of snow or ice from city
streets,public highways or other thoroughfares. No person shall stop, stand, or park any vehicle or
permit it to stand on any street in the city betweeti the hours of 2:00 a.m. atid 6:00 a.m. on affy d
between Novetnber 15 and April 15-. when,within the preceding 24 hours, falling or blowing snow
or a combination of falling and blowing snow has accumulated to a depth of 1.5 or more inches of
snow at street level anywhere within that block, or when 1.5 or more inches of snow has been
predicted within the next 24 hours as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NO". Provided,however,that parking shall be permitted within any block of
any public street where not otherwise prohibited whenever the entire length of roadway of such
block has been cleared of snow from curb to curb, or in the case of streets without curbs,between
the outer edges of the shoulders of such streets.
(b)
King Avenue Parking Lot Restrictions. Except for the signed and designated snow removal parking
on the north side of the lot as described in subsection 74-99 (d),no other vehicle shall park in
this lot between the hours of-2:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. following the cessatioti of 1.5 or mofe
inches of sfiowfall. if the snowfaH ends after 6:00 p.m. oft afty gweti day,the parking restnictio
would apply the followifig d ;. when 1.5 or more inches of snow has been predicted within the
next 24 hours as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA .
(c)
Exceptions. Police cars,hearses, ambulances, and fire department vehicles and vehicles
responding to emergency calls are exempt from the prohibition of subsection (a) of this
section.Vehicles called out for emergency repairs to electric light and power lines, telephone
lines, natural gas and sewer and water systems are also exceptions.
(d)
Removal of vehicles. The police department or authorized representative of the city is hereby
authorized in accordance with MN State Statute 169.041 as may be amended from time to
time,to remove such vehicle from the street or public parking lot and to store the vehicles for
the owner thereof. The removal and storage charge shall be paid by the owner of such vehicle.
(Code 1982, � 1100.16; Ord. No. 07-19, 5 3, 12-3-2007)
Streets Division
Snow and Ice Control Policy
;
Introduction
it is the City of Elk River policy to assume basic responsibility for snow afid ice control oti Ci
streets. Reasonable snow and ice control is iiecessary for routine tra-Vel and emergene-y-SI-1-1--l-S.
The city provides such contfol in a safe and cost effective mafhqer,ke-t-416 xixx- ..1d ,
budget,personnel and efy,�,irofh-aefital eoneefns. City employees, eqttipment and/or pfivate
I. Commencement Of Snow Or Ice Control Operations
The Street Superintendent or his/her designee determines plow routes and the sequence of
operations in accordance with priorities in this policy. At the inception of a snow event, Street
Division crews respond by salting the main roads. Salting roadways serves two purposes: to keep
traffic moving, and to prevent the snow from bonding to the pavement. The basic criteria for
these decisions are:
A. Snow accumulation of one (1.5) incl�[si].
B. The Streets Superintendent or his/her designee's determination that plowing is necessary
due to:
i. Drifting snow
ii. Icy conditions
iii. Snowfall timing in relation to traffic flow
Night tiffie plowing begiias between 2:00 afid 4:00 a.m. dependifig on weather .
II. Street Plowing Priorities And Schedule
Streets are classified by their function, traffic volume, and community value.
C. Priority Routes
High volume routes which provide access for emergency fire,police, and medical
services; streets accessing schools and commercial businesses.
D. Secondary Routes
Residential streets, alleys and city parking lots.
E. Tertiary Routes
Cul-de-sacs.
In severe snow emergencies, operators may work in excess of 10-hour shifts. However,due to
safety concerns,no operator should work more than fourteen (14) consecutive hours and no
more than eighteen (18) hours in any 24-hour period.
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III. Winter Parking Restrictions
Public safety requires the rapid and efficient removal of snow or ice from city streets,public
highways or other thoroughfares. No person shall stop, stand, or park any vehicle or permit it to
stand on any street in the city when,within the preceding 24 hours, falling or blowing snow or a
combination of falling and blowing snow has accumulated to a depth of 1.5 or more inches of
snow at street level anywhere within that block, or when 1.5 or more inches of snow has been
predicted within the next 24 hours as determined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NO". Provided,however,that parking shall be permitted within any block
of any public street where not otherwise prohibited whenever the entire length of roadway of
such block has been cleared of snow from curb to curb, or in the case of streets without curbs,
between the outer edges of the shoulders of such streets.
Vehicles parked on a city street during a snow event are subject to a citations and a fines
of$100 for first o ff nsein accordance with the Master Fee Schedule.
IV. Snow Removal
The Streets Superintendent determines when snow accumulations are removed from the public
right-of-way to mitigate hazardous traffic conditions. Snow removal operations will not
commence until other snowplowing operations are complete.
V. Downtown Snow Removal
Downtown snow removal (including parking lots) commences between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m.
depending on the severity of snow event. Downtown businesses are responsible for removing
snow from the front of their establishments within 24 hours after a snowfall.
VI. Sidewalk Snow Removal
The City Council designates sidewalks and trails that are plowed by the city. Clearing of non-
designated city sidewalks are the responsibility of the property owner.
VII. Driveways
It is unlawful to deposit snow on public roadways per Minnesota Highway Traffic Regulations.
State Statute 160.2715 Subd(5): Misdemeanors:It sball be unlayful to obstruct any public street or bigbavay
or to deposit any snow or ice thereon;and, 169.42 Subd(1):Littering: No person sball tbrow, deposit,place, or
dump upon any street or bigbway any snow, ice, etc.
Residents observed doing such activities are subject to a citation and fine.
VIII. Items In The Public Right Of Way
Mailboxes
The city does not assume liability for mailboxes damaged during snowplowing operations unless
the Streets Division determines that a plow unit made direct contact.
Staff shall investigate each complaint and determine if the mailbox was hit by a plow or other
piece of equipment. If so, a temporary mailbox will be installed until a replacement is erected.
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The city will replace mailboxes damaged from direct contact with city equipment with the `swing
away' style mailbox conforming to the U.S. Postal Service specifications. If a resident does not
want the swing-away style,they will be reimbursed up to $75 (receipt required) to replace the
mailbox with a style of their choice. All mailboxes and structures in public right-of-way must be
constructed of break-a-way material.
Incidents involving cluster mailboxes will be determined on a case by case basis.
Trash Containers
Trash and recycling containers shall be placed 3 to 6 feet well behind the snow line
windrow eu-rb or,in the driveway, clear of passing snowplows and resulting windrows. The city
is not responsible for damage to trash/recycling containers placed in the street.
Lawn Sprinklers/Invisible Pet Fences
The city is not responsible for damage to underground lawn sprinklers or invisible pet fences
located within the public right-of-way. Homeowners are responsible to protect such systems
from damage or to relocate sprinkler heads and fences within their property boundary.
Sod Damage
Sod damaged by city plowing equipment will be repaired the following spring either by street
crews using black dirt and seed; or by the property owner if they elect to do the repair using
commercial sod. The city will reimburse the property owner for the sod purchased but not for
labor costs. Reimbursement must be approved by the Street Superintendent or his/her designee
prior to the corrective work or sod purchase.
Please call the Streets Division at 763.635.1120 if you have any questions about this policy.
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