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9.d)1) Review Snow and Ice Control Policy Meeting Date: 10/20/2009 Agenda Item: :�; � , � ��' � � �� �� City Council Agenda Report City of Scandia 14727 209`h St. North Scandia, MN 55073 (651) 433-2274 Action Requested: Review Snowplowing and Ice Control policy(requested by Council member Lindell.) Deadline/ Timeline: N/A Background: • The Snowplowing and Ice Control policy was adopted prior to the last winter season, and revised in January of 2009. The policy, based on the Minnesota League of Cities' model, guides citizens and employees in understanding the city's procedures for providing this important service. • Last season, the city's efforts were hampered by staffing challenges (an illness and a retirement), shortages of road salt and some unfortunate weather events. • For the coming season, we are hopeful that staffing will be stable, and we will have several experienced back-up snow plow drivers available. • We have not yet heard whether the salt supply will be restricted as it was last year. However, travel time and distance to re-supply salt/sand will continue to be an issue,until such time the city has its own storage facility. Filling the trucks with salt and sand can take them off plowing routes at critical times, and is subject to the supplier's schedule. T'he CIP (Capital Improvement Program) adopted last year delayed the proposed construction of a salt/sand storage structure to 2011 (proposed cost $60,000.) Recommendation: I recommend that the Council review the policy and give any direction to staff you deem appropriate. Attachments/ • Snowplowing and Ice Control Policy, Adopted October 7, 2008 Materials provided: and Amended January 20, 2009 Contact(s): Prepared by: Anne Hurlburt, Administrator (snowplowing policy) Page 1 of 1 10/16/09 City of Scandia, Minnesota Snowplowing and Ice Control Policy Adopted Octo6er 7, 2008 and Amended January 20, 2009 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 effective manner,keeping in mind safety, budget, personnel, and environmental concerns. The city will use city 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 cautious manner, given the prevailing street conditions. 2. When will city start snow or ice control operations? The Public Works Supervisor 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 three (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. 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 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 Public Works Supervisor 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 condition. 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 Public Works Supervisor has the responsibility for determining plow routes and sequences of operations in accordance with established priorities. The city has classified city streets based on the street function, traffic volume and importance to the welfare of the community. Those streets 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 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. During significant and severe storms, the city must be prepared to move personnel and equipment to maintain priority routes first. In fulfilling the need to have all priority streets safe and passable, when resources are limited, plowing of all other streets may be stopped at any time so resources can be shifted to priority routes. 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 The city recognizes that snowplow operators are exempt from traffic regulations set forth 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 2 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 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 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 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 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. 11. Mailboxes and personal property in rights-of way Snow plow operators will make every effort to remove snow so as to provide access 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 adjacent to mailboxes is the responsibility of each resident. 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 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. At the mailbox owner's request,the city will replace the mailbox with a standard size,non- decorative metal mailbox and replace the support post as necessary with a 4" x 4", decay resistance wood support post, both installed by the city. Alternatively, the city will reimburse the mailbox owner$50.00 for the replacement of the mailbox and post by others. T'he Public Works Department may provide a recommended design for mailbox supports and promote its use by city residents to reduce damage from snowplowing operations. 3 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 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 including driveways. City personnel will not provide driveway cleaning. Any exception shall be at the discretion of the Public Works Supervisor 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. 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 made by a city employee. 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. on any city street. Public works employees will coordinate notification and enforcement efforts with office personnel and police as available and appropriate. 13. Complaint procedure Complaints will be recorded on telephone logs and forwarded to the appropriate personnel. Emergency complaints will be handled in an expeditious manner as resources are available. 14. Deviation from policy The Public Works Supervisor may deviate from this policy when in his or her judgment it is in the best interest of the city or is necessary because of budget needs or other circumstances. Changes in priorities (lasting more than 4 hours) 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 Public Works Supervisor shall keep on file all comments and complaints received regarding this policy. The policy will be reviewed periodically. Any review will consider comments and complaints since the last review and any other factors affecting the policy or its implementation. 4 City of Scandia List of Sidewalks Maintained October 7, 2008 Olinda Trail (County Road 3) from 209`h Street to Highway 97 Oakhill Road (County Road 52) from Oakhill Court to Olinda Trail (County Road 3) 5