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City seeks resident input on winter parking restrictions

By: Bridget Smith, City Manager

  Winter Parking – Does it still snow in the end of April?

  In the past few years, as the City began consistent enforcement of our winter overnight parking restrictions, we have heard from a number of residents. Some have offered suggestions, some have suggested eliminating the rule altogether and others have recommended an emergency snow ordinance. We have listened to your concerns and at the City’s most recent Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, the Committee suggested sharing the alternatives under consideration with the public.

  First, we want to provide some background as to the reason for the parking restrictions. The ideal time for Public Works to clear the streets is in the middle of the night. Ideally, crews start at 2am and focus on the primary streets first, working their way to subdivisions. This entire process, including salting, takes about eight hours. Having vehicles off the street at this time makes snow removal more efficient and safer. The large plows are not easy to maneuver with cars, especially multiple cars, parked on the streets. We know that we don’t only clear streets at this time and that the weather does not always line up with this timetable.

  The Public Works Department has recommended that the City continue some restrictions. One of the options is to reduce the timeframe of the winter parking restrictions. Currently, the ordinance is in effect from November 1 to April 30. An option would be to change the dates to the last Monday in November through April 1.

  An alternative to continuous winter parking restrictions would be to implement an Emergency Snow Ordinance. With this ordinance, the City Manager or his or her designee can declare an emergency event. Once this occurs, residents would have two hours to remove their vehicles on Major Streets (Franklin, Tuscola, Churchgrove, Schleier, Jefferson) and eight hours to remove their cars on Local Streets..........

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