The City has 6 truck routes that plow various sections of the city, 2 loader routes that clear the downtown area and cul-de-sacs, and 5 pick-up trucks that plow additional cul-de-sacs and parking lots. A normal snowfall takes approximately 8 – 10 hours to clear, with City crews typically starting the removal operations at 5:00AM. Snow that is windrowed in the downtown area is usually removed the following day.
Snowplow driver’s visibility is limited. There is a large blind spot directly behind the trucks. When following a plow, please stay well back. The plows occasionally have to stop and back up and the drivers cannot see vehicles directly behind the trucks. Due to the size and force of the snowplow, it is important to keep items, such as vehicle rubbish containers, etc., at least 3 feet back from edge of the street. For safety reasons, children should be discouraged from tunneling into or sliding from the snow piles that accumulate at the end of driveways or in cul-de-sacs. Snow or ice should not be shoveled, blown, or plowed into any street that has already been plowed. In addition to being prohibited by City Ordinance, this practice can also create packed snow areas that can become slippery and pose difficulties for subsequent snow removal operations.
Snow Emergency - A snow emergency automatically goes into effect when 2 inches or more of snow has fallen. Under a snow emergency, no parking on any City street is allowed until that street has been cleared to its full width. Violators will be ticketed and towed. Check cable channel 12 or KDWA 1460 AM if you are not sure if a snow emergency is in effect.
Mailboxes - Snow plow operations occasionally damage mailboxes. The City has a policy to repair or replace mailboxes struck by snow plows. However, mailboxes damaged by snow thrown by the plow are the homeowner’s responsibility to repair. Mailboxes are supposed to be installed flush with the back of the curb, 8 inches behind the edge of the street. The Postal Service requests that homeowners keep the area in front of their mailboxes clear so that postal vehicles are able to get close to the mailbox.
Garbage & Recycling Containers – Please do not place garbage and recycling containers in the street or gutter area on your garbage collection day. Containers placed in the street and gutter area will prevent snow removal crews from plowing the parking areas on streets. The garbage truck lifting arm can reach 6 to 8 feet. Please keep the containers at the end of your driveway.
Sidewalk Snow Removal
City Ordinances (Chapter 6, Subd. 6.05) require property owners to clear all snow and ice off of sidewalks abutting their property within 48 hours after snowfall has ceased. In addition, ordinances prohibit any blowing or shoveling of snow back out into the street.
Snowmobile Regulations
Snowmobiles are permitted to operate within the City limits only to travel from the operator’s residence to outside of the City, or from outside of the City to the operator’s residence. Stopping is only permitted within the Service District. In traveling to and from the city limits, snowmobiles must follow snowmobile corridors outlined on the official snowmobile corridor map. No recreational snowmobiling is allowed within City limits. Snowmobiles must use the paved streets. Snowmobiles are prohibited from using boulevards, sidewalks, bike paths, alleys, City parks or ponding basins, School or City property. A map of the snowmobile corridors is available to download. (Continual snowmobile use of the Pleasant Drive boulevard and walks resulted in Pleasant Drive being removed from the corridor map.)
Snowmobile use within the city is only permitted between the hours of 8:00AM-10:00PM. After 10:00PM snowmobiles in use within the City must be returning home.
