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09.e2 Snow & Ice Control Policy Amendment Staff Report Date of Meeting: 11/21/2023 For: Mayor and City Council From: Charles Fischer – Director of Public Works Subject: Snow and Ice Control Policy Amendment Issue: Scandia’s Snow and Ice Control Policy was last updated 6 years ago. City staff have reviewed the policy and based on discussions have revised a draft presented in this packet for review and potential approval. Background: As a common and best practice City policy should be reviewed on a regular basis and amended to meet current practices. The Snow and Ice Control Policy was last approved on February 21, 2017. Since the last update; equipment, material and personnel have changed along with installation of updated utilities within the Right of Way. Revised Draft: A redlined version of the draft policy is attached, showing the changes proposed to address current equipment and concerns of the Public Works Department and suggested changes by Administration: • Changes from Maintenance Supervisor to Director of Public Works have been added along with the designation of an assigned staff member in the absence of the Director of Public Works • Modification to the sidewalk snow removal section include defining which sidewalks will be maintained by the city and adds language regarding users of the sidewalk; by using the sidewalks in a cautious manner as they will not be completely free and clear of snow and ice. • The mailbox and personal property in the right of way section has been modified to be clearer in definition by defining the post as part of a mailbox. A prominent change is the option for a reimbursement of up to $60.00 has been included in the policy. This reimbursement is in regards to a number of residents whom have refused the option of City staff installing a metal swing arm post or the mailbox alone. In instances of complete disagreement between the City and resident, Public Works feels it to be the best interest of the City to reimburse the resident upon proof of purchase and proper installation. The cost associated with the reimbursement amount is limited to the mailbox, post, and address numbers. No other costs associated will be reimbursable such as, but not limited to, paying another party to install the post and/or mailbox. • One major obstacle plow operators face is property owners or contracted snow removal services by the property owner plow or push snow across a road and deposit the snow in the opposite ditch. By stacking snow opposite a driveway limits our equipment from effectively depositing snow in the ditch and eventually narrows the drive lane causing a safety hazard. The original policy did state this is as being unlawful but little enforcement has taken place and more and more property owners are taking advantage of the lack of enforcement. In the draft document a strict enforcement of the unlawful practice would place an original warning in perpetuity to the property owner and every subsequent offense to come with fines and costs associated to City staff involvement to remove the snow. Public Works • Changes to the no standing parking for more than 60 minutes between 2:00am and 6:00am were considered by striking the specific time period but was determined to remain as is. • The request or complaint procedure was altered to have the City’s online request system be the source to document and store the requests or complaints. The system immediately forwards the request or complaint to the proper department or specific staff member upon submittal. Options: 1) Adopt the suggested amendments to the Snow and Ice Control Policy 2) Make no change to the Snow and Ice Control Policy Recommendation: Option 1 is recommended Attachment: Snow and Ice Control Policy 11 21 23 City of Scandia, Minnesota Snowplowing and Ice Control Policy Adopted February 15, 2011 Amended April 15, 2014 Amended February 21, 2017 Amended November 21, 2023 1. Introduction The city of Scandia, Minnesota, finds that it is in the best interest of the residents of the city to assume basic responsibility for control of snow and ice on city streets. Reasonable ice and snow control is necessary for routine travel and emergency services. The city will attempt to provide such control in a safe and cost effectivecost-effective manner, keeping in mind safety, budget, personnel, and environmental concerns. The city will use city its employees, equipment and/or private contractors to provide this service. This policy does not relieve the operator of private vehicles, pedestrians, property owners, residents , and all others that may be using public streets of their responsibility to act in a reasonable, prudent, and all others that may be using public streets, of their responsibility to act in a reasonable, prudent and cautious manner, given the prevailing street conditions. 2. When will the city start snow or ice control operations? The Maintenance SupervisorDirector of Public Works or assigned staff will decide when to begin snow or ice control operations. The criteria for that decision are: A. Snow accumulation of two (2) inches or more; B. Drifting of snow that causes problems for travel; C. Icy conditions which seriously affect travel; and D. Time of snowfall in relationship to heavy use of streets. Snow and ice control operations are expensive and involve the use of limited personnel and equipment. Consequently , snowplowing operations will not generally be conducted for snowfall of less than two (2) inches snowplowing operations will not generally be conducted for snowfall of less than two (2) inches, and will typically not be commenced until the snowfall has stopped. Between major snow events, snow and ice removal will continue during regular work shifts subject to the availability of personnel and equipment. 3. How snow will be plowed Snow will be plowed in a manner so as to minimize traffic obstructions. The center of the roadway will be plowed first. The snow shall then be pushed from left to right on two-way streets. The discharge shall go onto the boulevard area or ditch of the street. Wing plows will be used to clear roads to their full width unless conditions dictate otherwise. Snow on cul-de-sacs may be plowed to the center in an attempt to provide the largest turning radius possible for emergency vehicle ingress and egress. When a plow goes on a bridge, the driver shall slow down so snow does not go over the bridge, if possible. In times of extreme snowfall, streets will not always immediately be able to be completely cleared of snow. The Formatted: Strikethrough 2 city will not assure a completely bare roadway. The city will endeavor to make all roads passable within a reasonable amount of time after snowfall has stopped. 4. Snow Removal The Maintenance SupervisorPublic Works Director or assigned staff will determine if and when snow will be removed from the area by truck. Such snow removal will occur in areas where there is no room on the boulevard for snow storage and in areas where accumulated piles of snow create a hazardous conditionhazardous conditions. Snow removal operations will not commence until other snowplowing operations have been completed. Snow removal operations may also be delayed depending on weather conditions, personnel, and budget availability. 5. Priorities and schedule of streets to be plowed The Maintenance SupervisorPublic Works Director or assigned staff has the responsibility for determining plow routes and sequences of operations in accordance with established priorities and the most efficient use of personnel, equipment, and fuel. During significant and severe storms or when resources are limited, regular plow routes and sequences of operations may be altered. Resources may be shifted to priority routes to keep them safe and passable, and plowing of all other streets may be stopped, at the discretion of the Maintenance Supervisor.Public Works Director or assigned staff. The city has classified city streets based on the street function, traffic volume, and importance to the welfare of the community. Those Sstreets classified as “collectors” by the Comprehensive Plan will be plowed first. These are higher volume routes, which connect major sections of the city and provide access for emergency fire, police, and medical services. The second priority streets are local, non-collector streets providing access to schools and commercial businesses. The third priority streets are low volumelow-volume residential streets. The fourth priority areas are city parking lots, except as needed to maintain access for emergency vehicles, in which case plowing will have top priority. The lowest priority is sidewalks. Unforeseeable circumstances may cause delays in completing plow routes. Such circumstances may include weather conditions that endanger the safety of snowplow operators and/or safe and effective operation of equipment, commuter traffic, disabled vehicles, poor visibility conditions, parked cars along streets, assistance to emergency response vehicles, equipment breakdown, and personnel shortages. 6. Work schedule for snowplow operators Snowplow operators will be expected to work eight-hour shifts. In severe snow emergencies, operators sometimes have to work in excess of eight-hour shifts. However, because of budget and safety concerns, no operator shall work more than a twelve-hour shift. After a twelve-hour shift, the operators will be replaced if additional qualified personnel are available. No operator shall begin a new shift until eight hours or more have passed since the completion of their last shift. 7. Traffic regulations Formatted: Strikethrough Formatted: No underline 3 The city recognizes that snowplow operators are exempt from traffic regulations set forth inoutlined in Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 169, while actually engaged in work on streets, except for regulations related to driving while impaired and the safety of school children. Pursuant to this authority, snowplow operators engaged in snow removal or ice control on city streets have discretion to disregard traffic laws set forth in Chapter 169, except for laws relating to impaired driving and school children safety, when in their judgment, it is safe to disregard such laws. The privileges granted herein to operators of snow removal and ice control vehicles shall apply only if the vehicle is equipped with one lighted lamp displaying a flashing, oscillating, or rotating amber or amber/blue light placed in such a position on the vehicle as to be visible throughout an arc of 360 degrees. 8. Weather conditions Snow and ice control operations will be conducted only when weather conditions do not endanger the safety of snowplow operators and equipment. Factors that may delay or suspend snow and ice control operations include: severe cold, significant winds, and limited visibility. 9. Use of sand, salt, and other chemicals The city will use abrasive material sand, salt, and other chemicals when there are hazardous ice or slippery conditions. The city is concerned about the cost and the effect of such chemicals and materials on the environment and will limit its use for those reasons. The city will not be responsible for damages to any turf or personal property caused by the application of abrasive materials, salt or other chemicals. 10. Sidewalks The city will maintain some of the sidewalks in the city. The list of those sidewalks is attached, and may be updated from time to time by the Public Works Supervisor. As there are a limited number of personnel available, the city will only maintain these sidewalks after the streets have been plowed. It is the responsibility of the resident and/or property owner to remove all accumulated snow from all other sidewalks along public streets adjoining their property. This includes any snow plowed from public streets onto the sidewalk. Some of the sidewalks maintained by the city are on county roads. Snowplowing of these roads may deposit snow and ice on the sidewalks. The city will attempt to clear these sidewalks of snow but cannot assure that removal will be possible. The City recognizes that all of the sidewalks in the City are located on City and County roads, that snowplowing of these roads may deposit snow and ice on the sidewalks, and that the width of the boulevards are not sufficiently wide to avoid such snow deposits from plowing. While it is primarily the responsibility of the resident and/or property owner to remove all accumulated ice and snow from sidewalks along public streets adjoining their property, the City will plow remove snow from these sidewalks located adjacent to CSAH 3 and County Road 52 after the streets have been plowed. This policy does not relieve pedestrians, property owners, residents , and all others who may be using public sidewalks of their responsibility to act in a reasonable, prudent, and cautious Formatted: Underline, Strikethrough Commented [CF1]: Abrasive material Formatted: Strikethrough Formatted: Underline Commented [CF2]: And materials Commented [CF3]: And abrasive materials Formatted: No underline Formatted: No underline, Strikethrough Commented [CF4]: remove Formatted: No underline Formatted: No underline Formatted: No underline, Strikethrough Formatted: No underline Formatted: No underline 4 manner, given the prevailing sidewalk conditions. Not all snow or ice will be removed from the sidewalks due to the limitations of the equipment and conditions. No salt shall be applied to public sidewalks by City employees. 11. Mailboxes and personal property in rights-of way Snow plow operators will make every effort to remove snow so as possible to provide access travel within the roadway to mailboxes for the Postal Service. However, it is not possible to provide perfect conditions and minimize damage to mailboxes with the size and type of equipment the city operates. Therefore, the final cleaning in fornt of and adjacent to mailboxes is the responsibility of each resident. Coming into contact with a mailbox is a common obstacle equipment operators face during ROW maintenance. The city will review each mailbox incident to determine whether the city will replace or provide reimbursement for the mailbox and/or post alone. No reimbursement will be provided for installation costs by others. Only mailboxes that were properly installed and located which are damaged by physical contact with city equipment will be the city’s responsibility. The city will not be responsible for damage to mailboxes or support posts caused by any material vegetation coming into contact with the mailbox or post. If the city is responsible, by physical contact of equipment, for damage to a mailbox, the city will first make simple efforts to re-install the existing mailbox; if simple repairs are not possible, then replacement of the mailbox with a standard-size, non-decorative metal mailbox will be performed by the city. If the post is damaged by physical contact of equipment, the city will replace the support post as necessary with a metal swing-arm style support post. The city will not reimburse the mailbox owner for replacing the mailbox and post by others. The Public Works Department may provide a recommended design for mailbox support and promote its use by city residents to reduce damage from maintenance operations. If a resident rejects City staff from performing the replacement of the mailbox and/or post, a maximum of a $60 dollar reimbursement will be considered and refunded upon proof of purchase and installation. The city will not be liable for damage to fences, sprinklers, signs, trees, shrubs, landscape materials, lighting, decorative items or any other objects placed in the public right-of-way. Except as otherwise provided in any license or franchise agreement, the city will only be responsible for damage to marked utility pedestals and transformers by clearly visible stake or signage within the right-of-way resulting from direct contact with maintenance equipment. City liability shall be limited to actual costs to repair the damages as documented by invoices submitted to the City by the utility. Coming into contact with a mailbox is a common obstacle snowplow operators face during storm activities. The city will conduct a review of each mailbox incident to determine whether the city will replace or provide reimbursement for the mailbox. Only mailboxes that were properly installed and located, which were damaged by physical contact with city Commented [CF5]: by City employees. Formatted: No underline Commented [CF6]: In front of and adjacent Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Formatted: Indent: Left: 0.25" Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman, Strikethrough Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman, Strikethrough Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Commented [KM7]: I copied this section from the ROW policy. I want to make sure the language is the same. Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman 5 equipment will be the responsibility of the city. The city will not be responsible for damage to mailboxes or support posts caused by snow or ice coming into contact with the mailbox. If the city is responsible for damage to a mailbox, the city will replace the mailbox with a standard size, non-decorative metal mailbox and replace the support post as necessary with a metal swing-arm style support post, both installed by the city. The city will not reimburse the mailbox owner for the replacement of the mailbox and post by others. The Public Works Department may provide a recommended design for mailbox supports and promote its use by city residents to reduce damage from snowplowing operations. The city will not be liable for damage to fences, sprinklers, signs, trees, shrubs, landscape materials, lighting, decorative items or any other objects placed in the public right-of-way. Except as otherwise provided in any license or franchise agreement, the city will only be responsible for damage to utility pedestals and transformers within the right-of-way resulting from direct contact by City snow and ice removal equipment. City liability shall be limited to actual costs to repair the damages as documented by invoices submitted to the City by the utility. 12. Driveways and Parking Snow plow operators will make an effort, with no guarantee, to avoid depositing snow in private driveways, but snow accumulated on the plow blade has no place to go except the edge of the road or cul de sac including driveways. City personnel will not provide driveway cleaning. Any exception shall be at the discretion of the Maintenance Supervisor Director of Public Works or assigned staff for emergency situations only. It is unlawful for property owners to plow snow from driveways and sidewalks onto or across public roads. Piles of snow left on the road can freeze into a solid mass creating a hazardous situation for vehicles and snowplows. Property owners will be given one written notice of unlawfully depositing snow onto or across public roads. The written notice will be kept in the property records and be in perpetuity to that property owner until sale or change in ownership of the property. After one written notice, further witness to or notification of depositing snow in or across public roads will be subject to fines and/or costs associated to City staff and equipment used in the removal of snow on or across onto or across public roads. City ordinances require that any parked vehicle interfering with the removal of snow and ice shall be removed by their owners within 15 minutes of demand request made by a city employee or law enforcement officer. After such notice it is unlawful to park on the street until the snow removal operation is completed. No vehicle shall be left standing or parked for more than 60 minutes between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. November 1st and April 30th on any city street. Public works employees will coordinate notification and enforcement efforts with office personnel and police law enforcement as available and appropriate. Formatted: Strikethrough Formatted: Superscript Formatted: Strikethrough 6 13. Complaint procedure Complaints, including the full name and address of the complainant, will be recorded on telephone logs and the City’s online request/complaint forms by the resident and forwarded by the system or staff to the appropriate personnel. Residents are encouraged to report information on road conditions. Emergency complaintsRequests or Complaints will be reviewed by City Staff and if determined to be an emergency situation will be handled in an expeditious manner as resources are available. 14. Deviation from policy The Maintenance SupervisorDirector of Public Works or assigned staff may deviate from this policy when in his or her judgment it is in the best interest of the city. Changes in priorities will be documented as to what caused such actions, why the change was necessary, and for how long the change is to be in effect. 15. Review and modification of policy The Maintenance Supervisoronline request/complaint system shall keep on file all comments and complaints received regarding this policy for a duration set by the City Administrator. The policy will be reviewed periodically. Any review will consider comments and complaints since the last reviewfrom the public in an open meeting and any other factors affecting the policy or its implementation.