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IV.5. Adopt Resolution Amending Legislative Policy 8-F – Snow and Ice Control Policies and Procedures; Stadler�,ITY OF � NOPKINS July 30, 2019 Council Report 2019-077 Adopt Resolution Amending Legislative Policy #8-F, Snow and Ice Control Policies and Procedures Proposed Action. Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Move that Council adopt Resolution 2019-058, resolution amendinq Leqislative Policv #8-F, Snow and Ice Control Policies and Procedures Overview. Snow and ice control procedures have evolved since this legislative policy was adopted. The proposed revisions reflect what is now current practice as well as revisions based on proposed changes discussed with City Council at recent work sessions. Many of the changes discussed at the work sessions are operational changes that are not reflected in the revised policy - those changes are summarized on page 2 of this report. Primarv Issues to Consider. • Summary of proposed Legislative Policy revisions • Summary of operational changes Supportinq information. • Resolution 2019-058 Policy 8-F, with revisions shown Steven J. Stadler, Pub ic Works Director Financial Impact: $ Budgeted: Y/N N Source: Related Documents (CIP, ERP, etc.): Notes: Council Report 2019-077 Page 2 Primarv Issues to Consider. • Summary of proposed Legislative Policy revisions The majority of policy changes were made in the section on parking areas available during snow emergencies and the section describing the city's snow emergency notifications, paragraphs 4.02 and 4.05, respectively. The other changes were primarily minor word edits. * Summary of operational changes: 1. More seasonal parking restrictions for certain streets • No parking on one side of the street from Nov 15 — Apr 15, on the following street segments: 0 14th Ave N from Mainstreet to 1 St St N, east side of the street 0 13th Ave S from 1 st St S to 2"d St S, east side of the street 0 2"d St S east of 12'h Ave, no parking in the dead end section 2. Ticketing only or ticketing and towing after the initial plowing • This would be done as needed and/or complaint-based to obvious on-street parking violators, less stringent late in the winter season 3. More focused education in problem areas • Direct mailings, windshield notices, boulevard signs, HAMA coordination 4. In addition to the late evening snow emergency/vehicle tagging & towing, add the ability to call a snow emergency in early morning hours with towing of on-street vehicles occurring in late morning/early afternoon prior to mid-day plowing • Snow line likely updated the previous evening to warn of probability of snow emergency the following day • Code Red message several hours before towing starts, on/about 7-8 am • Police Officers and/or reserve officers would be used to accompany the tow trucks, record license plates, authorize towing • Used for those snowstorms that end late morning/early afternoon • Plowing would start at/near end of snowfall, completed about 6 pm • 2+ inch trigger snow depth at time of Code Red message • The.time of season and short term forecast would play a factor on whether or not to call a snow emergency, i.e. less likely in late March 5. Add parking lot 750 as a snow emergency lot 6. Relax Central Business District parking restrictions, no parking 2-5 am, to winter season only, Nov 1— May 1, for the avenues only. Currently, the CBD parking restrictions are year-round. Mainstreet would stay as-is with year-round no parking 2-5 am parking restriction. CITY OF HOPKINS HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA RESOLUTION NO. 2019-058 RESOLUTION APPROVING AMENDMENTS TO LEGISLATIVE POLICY #8F — SNOW AND ICE CONTROL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WHEREAS, the City is responsible for snow and ice control on city streets, and WHEREAS, some of the winter maintenance policy and associated procedures have changed over time, and; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Hopkins, Minnesota that Legislative Policy #8F — Snow and Ice Control Policies and Procedures is hereby amended to reflect current practice and proposed policy changes. Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins this 5th day of August 2019. By ATTEST: Amy Domeier, City Clerk Jason Gadd, Mayor POLICY 8-F SNOW AND ICE CONTROL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES l. PURPOSE 1.01 The City of Hopkins believes that it is in the best interest of the residents for 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 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. 2. CITY CODES 2A1 Hopkins City Codes 130531 and 130533 are referenced and provide the basis far this policy. 3. POLICY 3.01 The Hopkins Public Works Department shall endeavor to maintain the city's street system in a safe and travelable condition. Snowplowing ��, sanding and chemical snow/ice control treatments �s will generallv be acwmplished by subdividing the city's transportation system into a number of snowplowing routes equal to the number of snowplowing vehicles available. Within each of the areas, the collector and thoroughfare streets are defined as well as areas of steep grades and hazardous alignments that need extra care. Equipment is assigned to these zones based on the amount of effort required. The call out of equipment is dependent upon the time and severity of the snowfall. The most critical times are morning and evening rush hour periods. The plan is designed, i�f at all feasible, to have the snow removed from collectors, thoroughfares, and hazardous areas prior to the beginning of these rush hour periods. Subsequent to the priorities of the rush hour period, the remaining streets in residential and commercial areas are plowed. Snow and ice control operations are expensive and involve the use of limited personnel and equipment. Conseyuently, snowplowing operations will not � alwavs be conducted for snowfall of less than two inches. 4. SNOW EMERGENCIES 4.01 Hopkins City Code prohibits parking on any public street or parking lot, including the parking ramp, after a snowfall of two (2) inches or more until the street has been plowed to the curb or removed from the street. The depth of the snow is determined by city �r-irrg ��jpersonnel. 4.02 Cars normally parked on the street should be relocated to a parking area off the street when there is a snowfall of two (2) inches or more. The city offers several t� locations for parking _ during this time: 1) Lot 300 north of Downtown Park, the Maetzold Field l�arkine lot. Lot -I Formattea: superscript � 750 at 9'h Ave N/1S1 St N intersection. citv narkin��_ lot on east side of 9'�' Ave S at Westbrooke ,��:--- I_ �rmatted: superscript �J • ---- — � - --- ----- -----°- -TY= _ ------------ • ----_ — _ _ " Wa�� intersection and the ��arkin�� area at the east end of 8'�' St S a��d iust east of 6�� Ave S. ��-� Formatted: superscript �,� �� o..:t.-,...a .. ..�,. ..r . , w,,... „, n.i, ,..,a �na, n, o,u�,. Cars arked on the street or in � P � � Formatted: Superscript a municipal parking lot (other than those ike-�c> mentioned above) may be ticketed and �' r-orma�cea: superscriPc —� I,egislative Policy Manual -- Chapter 8-F towed to allow for efficient snowplowing. 4.03 Snow emergencies may be declared by the Public Works Department whenever a snow accumulation is two inches or greater. r..,... ,..,,�_,.o.,,.:o� ao,.,,...,,a ..c,,.- , n.. .,, ..,:i� ..o.. ,�. .-,.�:...... 1.,,,.:.,.,;.,....t 4., ., rl,o F ll,�..,:.,rt .7�.. � s 7 4.04 If a snow emergency is declared, the Public Works Dei�artment °�'�� i'��^�'^��^* will initiate notification procedures and will coordinate with citv employee snow taQsers, the Police Dei�artment and the vehicle towin, c��an� �ie-�e�les on the removal of illegally parked vehicles. 4.05 Notification of snow emergencies will be accomplished in several i�rways a. Public Warks��ersonnel P-eliee �e��r�+�rer�t will place a recorded message on the Ci 's "^,:�� T'��'.,,�.,�'^ "SNOW LINE" detailing local snow plowing/towing regulations, whether or not a"snow emergency" has been declared, and procedures to follow when claiming a vehicle that has been towed. The snow line may be accessed by dialing 952- 939-1399. b. Public Works Dei,artment i�ersonnel_n^'�^� �„��`„�� will notify ]ocal media outlets �x�rrn n nn .-..a:,. ...,,� �x�r�rn rv to request public notification of a snow emergency, includin<�_all major network television stations and several radio stations ��•a-�-R.^i �,�:t''«;� 41....-o ..I..ti.�.in .. 4...7 ... Qo..k..�.i n m� .,a�.�2. c. The electronic disi�la�� boards at Citv Hall, Fire Station and Pavilion will nornially be used to sl�ow that a snow emercenc�� has been declared. d. Tlie Citv's emer�encv uotification service which sends a rhone call, text and/or email to each reeistered citv reside�rt will announce the snow emer��enc�� a n�inimum of three hours ��rior to tl�e start of vehicle ta��in,� towin, o�erations. e. Social media will also be used in most instances as a communication tool 4.06 Coordination of the teiu�+��towed vehicle information and retrieving of vehicles shall be the responsibility of the Police Department. 5. PROCEDURE S.OI How snow will be plowed. Snow will be plowed in a manner so as to minimize any traffic obstructions. In most situations, the center of the roadway will be plowed first. The snow shall then be pushed from left to right. The discharge shall go onto the boulevard area of the street. When a plow goes on a bridge, the driver shall slow down so that 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. 5.02 Snow Removal. The Public Works Department will determine when snow will be removed by truck from an area. 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, equipment and budget availability. The snow will be removed and hauled to a snow storage area. The snow storage area will be located so as to minimize environmental problems. 5.03 Priorities and schedule for which streets will be plowed. The city has classifed city streets Legislative Policy Manual -- Chapter 8-F based on the street function, traffic volume, and importance to the welfare of the community. Those streets having high priority will be plowed first. These are high volume streets which connect major sections of the city and provide access for emergency fire, police and medical services. The second priority streets are those streets providing access to schools and commercial businesses. The third priority streets are low volume residential streets. The fourth priority area are alleys and city parking lots. As mentioned in the policy statement, the snowplowing, sandin�_ and chemical snow/ice control treatments ^^�' ��^a�•��- ^��^*;^,�� will Qenerally be accomplished by subdividing the ciry's transportation system into a number of snowplowing routes equal to the number of snowplowing vehicles available. 5.04 Work schedule for snowplow operators. Snowplow operators will be expected to work eight-hour shifts. If conditions and forecast warrant,'� ^�..�� ^^ �,z��, operators will ��-have to work in excess of eight-hour shifts. However, because of budget and safety concerns, the city will try not to work operators more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period. 5.05 Weather conditions. Snow and ice control operations will be conducted only when weather conditions do not endanger the safety of city employees and equipment. Factors that may delay snow and ice control operations include: severe cold, significant winds and limited visibility. 5.06 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 effect of such chemicals on the environment and will limit its use for that reason. 6. SIDEWALKS 6.01 Sidewalks - Hopkins City Code requires an owner or the occupant of any property adjacent to a public sidewalk to remove snow or ice within 12 hours of its deposit. If this is not done, the city may remove the snow or ice and bill the property owner. Compliance with this ordinance requirement will help ensure the safety of a1L l See Cit� Codes 820.03 and 820.081 7. REFUSE CONTAINERS 7.01 Hopkins legislative policies require that refuse containers be accessible for pick-up and placed off street or alley to allow snow removal. This container may have to be placed in the driveway to meet both of these requirements. It is the responsibility of the resident to see that the container is not in the way of the snowplow and is also in a spot accessible to the garbage truck. Whenever possible, the Public Works Department will attempt to plow the refuse pick-up route early. 8. MAILBOXES 8.01 Mailboxes damaged during snow removal will not be replaced by the city, unless there is physical evidence that the snow removal vehicle actually hit the mailbox. If, due to snow build-up on the boulevards, mailboxes are tipped or knocked over from the weight of the snow, it shall be the responsibility of the property owner to repair or replace the mailbox. If the city is responsible, the mailbox will be replaced with comparable quality items. Residents are responsible for keeping the mailbox cleared for Post Office deliveries. 9. FIRE HYDRANTS Legislative Policy Manual -- Chapter 8-F 3 9.01 Fire hydrants are critical to minimize the potential losses involved in any fire. The Public Works and Fire Departments attempt to clear access to hydrants as quickly as possible after a storm. Residents are encouraged to assist the city by clearing hydrants near their property. If possible, they should be cleared five feet on each side to allow Fire Department access. 10. SAFETY 10.1 Minnesota statute and Hopkins City Code prohibit plowing, shoveling, blowing, or placing snow onto public roadways and boulevards. Placing snow on a public roadway can subject a person to civil liability if a road hazard, such as a slippery area, frozen rut, or bump occurs and causes a traffic accident. 1 See Cit� Code 800.01 i Established 10/17/91 Re�ised 8h/2019 City of Hopkins Legislative Policy Manual -- Chapter 8-F