Snow Emergency and Snow Ban Ordinances

Snow Ordinances

 

The purpose of Washington’s snow emergency ordinance is to limit on-street parking during snow events and any declared snow emergency to give plows access to clear the entire street during winter storms.

 

Washington City Ordinance 69.13 reads, “Upon the Mayor’s declaration of a snow emergency, persons shall comply with the following:

1. Residential Areas. No person shall park, abandon, or leave unattended any vehicle on any public street or alley unless the snow has been removed or plowed from the street to each curb edge or alley and the snow has ceased to fall.

 

2. Downtown Area. From 10pm to 6am when signs are posted in the northwest and southeast corners of Central Park no vehicles shall park within the area of the public square and extending one block each way there from, said area bounded by the south line of Second Street, the west line of Second Avenue, the north line of Jefferson Street, and the east line of Avenue B, but not including any portion of Second Street, Second Avenue, Jefferson Street or Avenue B.

 

The foregoing prohibition shall not apply to the above-described areas during normal business hours of eight o’clock (8:00) A.M. to six o’clock (6:00) P.M. and during normal weekend, evening, or holiday hours.”

 

Snow Emergencies will be relayed to local news media and also publicized on social media. Snow emergencies may be extended or shortened when conditions warrant.     Vehicles found parked in violation of the Snow Emergency or Snow Ban Ordinance may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense. Fines for parking violations of Snow Ban and Snow Emergency Ordinances is $50.

 

 New this winter is a Snow Ban Ordinance from November 1 to April 1 to allow for the safe initiation and completion of ice and snow removal operations. Washington City Ordinance 69.12 reads “No vehicle shall be left parked, abandoned, or unattended on any street or alley in the City during snow removal operations, or before such operations have removed or cleared accumulated snow or ice from the street to each curb edge or shoulder.”

If you utilize the street for parking and you see the street crews are out moving snow, please remove your vehicle from the street so it can be cleared in a safe and timely manner.

The street crew will post signs on the corners of Central Park whenever they plan to do snow removal around the square and the Police Department will also publish this on their Facebook page.  The snow ban parking around the square will be handled the same as Thursday night street sweeping – if the signs are posted it will be enforced and as they have tried to do in the past with big snow events, the Police Department may attempt to contact vehicle owners so cars can be moved.