(Red Oak) Red Oak City Administrator Kyra Smith provided information on the updated version of the Snow Emergency Route Map that was approved in November, as well as the Snow Emergency Off-Street Parking Areas.
Smith said the actual streets did not change that are on the emergency route, they updated the map and listed out the streets that are part of the existing routes.
The Off-Street Parking Areas document is a visual representation of where people may park during a snow emergency should they not have off street parking available to them, such as a driveway or the area between the sidewalk and curb on their property. These parking areas will be allowed to be parked in for a period of 24 hours after snowfall has ceased.
Smith would also like to remind citizens to register through Alert Iowa to receive notifications via email, voicemail or text message any time a weather-related event is going on.
Below is the revised ordinance:
69.11 SNOW AND ICE CONTROL PROGRAM.
- Snow Emergency Routes. The City Council shall designate snow emergency routes in the City and shall cause signs to be posted designating the routes as snow emergency routes.
- Snow Emergencies. A snow emergency shall take effect following a declaration by the Mayor or City Administrator; however, it shall be automatically enacted any time snow accumulation of two (2) inches or more occurs. Vehicles must be removed from any City street within one (1) hour of the declaration and remain off the streets for the following twenty-four (24) hours after the snowfall ends. Vehicles not removed within one (1) hour of the declaration will be ticketed for violating the City’s Snow Emergency Ordinance. After being ticketed, vehicles not removed from City Street within twelve hours after the declaration may be towed, with expenses for towing payable by the vehicle owner.
- In such event, no person shall park, abandon, or leave unattended any vehicle on any designated snow emergency route, alley, or unauthorized City-owned off-street parking area for a period of 24 hours after the snow has ceased to fall.
- No person that has a driveway or parking area available to them on private property shall park, abandon, or leave unattended any vehicle on any City street during a snow emergency.
- Those persons without access to private off-street parking shall see that their vehicle is removed from all city streets and alleys, except that parking shall be allowed on streets again after cleaning operations have been completed and the snow has ceased to fall.
- Those persons without access to private off-street parking shall see that their vehicle is removed from all city streets and alleys, they may park vehicles in the area between the Lot Line and Curb Line or in specifically marked City owned off street parking (with the exception of City Hall Parking Lot, no unauthorized parking shall be allowed) once a snow emergency has been enacted. Vehicles must be removed from this area within 24 hours after snowfall has ceased.
- Authority to Impound Vehicles. Members of the Police Department are authorized to remove or have removed a vehicle from a street, alley, highway or unauthorized City-owned off-street parking area, to the nearest garage or other place of safety, or to a garage designated or maintained by the Police Department or otherwise maintained by the City, when such vehicle is left parked in violation of the ban on parking during a snow emergency.
- Violation and Penalty. A violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor and shall be punishable as provided in this Code of Ordinances, and in addition thereto, the owner or driver, or either of them, of any vehicle impounded for a violation of the ban against parking during a snow emergency shall be required to pay the reasonable cost of towing and storage charges.
- Construction. This section shall not be construed as suspending parking limitations or restrictions imposed by any other section of this Code of Ordinances.
The City will post this on their Facebook page and website for all to view any time. Link to the web site where this can be found is here: https://city.redoakiowa.com/services/snow_emergency_regulations.php
