Snow Emergency Regulations

The Sauk Rapids City Council recently amended its winter parking regulations to provide authority to declare a snow emergency in order to clear the City streets and ensure safe passages through the City during winter months for routine travel and emergency services.  Below is more information regarding the snow emergency regulations (City Code 6.03).

 

Ordinance:  Subd.3. Winter Parking

  1. It shall be unlawful for any vehicle or trailer to be stopped and left unattended, left standing unattended, or parked between the hours of 2:00o’clock a.m. and 7:00 o’clock a.m. of any day between November 1, and March 31 inclusive, on an street, avenue or thoroughfare within the corporate limits of this municipality.
  2. Any police officer may remove a vehicle from a street to a garage or other place of safety when the vehicle is left unattended and constitutes an obstruction to traffic or hinders snow removal or street improvement or maintenance operations.  Such vehicle shall not be released until the fees for towing and storage are paid in addition to any fine imposed for violation of this section.

 C. The public Works Director, or his designee, is granted the authority to declare a snow emergency due to the presence or prediction of snowfall in excess of  4 inches, freezing rain, sleet or other natural phenomenon which create or are likely to create hazardous road conditions, and impede the free movement of fire, health, police, emergency or vehicular traffic.

  1.  A snow emergency announcement shall be made by local radio.  The announcement may also be given by other means as determined in the City’s discretion, but shall not replace the one required to be made by local radio.  All snow emergency announcements shall state the time period which the condition shall exist, depending on the circumstances, the time period may be extended through subsequent announcements.
  2. During a snow emergency it is unlawful to park or leave standing any vehicle on any public street, avenue, or alley until the roadway has been fully and completely (curb to curb) cleaned.  These parking regulations shall not apply to operators of wreckers or authorized emergency vehicles while actually serving mechanical, fir medical or police emergencies.
  3. Any vehicle which is left parked or standing on a public street during a snow emergency in violation of this section is hereby declared a nuisance and shall be subject to a monetary fine as affixed by the city council from time to time and may be subject to impounding.  The owner of any vehicle impounded as a result of such nuisance shall be responsible for any and all cost related to the impounding of said vehicle.  The fine imposed on a vehicle pursuant to this section shall not prevent or preclude the institution and prosecution of preceding for violations of this sections against the vehicle owner.
  4. Notice of snow emergency parking provisions shall be published in the official paper prior to November 1st of each year.  Notice shall also be posted at City Hall at the time of publication.