SNOW EMERGENCY POLICY

The purpose of this policy is to provide information to residents about snow emergencies in the City, including procedures for declaring an emergency, notification to residents and parking prohibitions.

1. DECLARING A SNOW EMERGENCY

The City of Osseo will declare a snow emergency when designated City staff measures two or more inches of accumulated snow at the Osseo Public Works Parking Lot. The City’s Snow Emergency Ordinance can be found in Section 71.06 of the Osseo City Code.

2. NOTIFICATION TO RESIDENTS OF A SNOW EMERGENCY

After a snow emergency has been declared, notice will be posted on the following:

• The City’s website at www.discoverosseo.com
• Email notification list - click button above to sign up
• City’s Facebook feed
• WCCO Television
• Telephone recordings: Snow Emergency Hotline: 763-425-SNOW (763-425-7669); City Hall (763-425-2624); Police Department (763-424-5444); Public Works (763-425-5741)
• Notifications of any future changes to the Osseo Snow Emergency Policy will be included in the next available quarterly utility bill mailing

3. PROHIBITED PARKING & POSSIBLE CITATIONS DURING A SNOW EMERGENCY

During a snow emergency, residents are allowed to park on the street in all residential areas.  However, if a vehicle is parked on a City street in the residential area and City snowplow crews must plow around the vehicle, the owner has 24 hours to move their vehicle out of the area so that City snowplow crews can come back and clean up that location. CITATION ALERT: Failure to move the vehicle within 24 hours of it being plowed around will result in a parking citation and possibly towing. All citation and/or towing costs will be at the owner’s expense.

CENTRAL AVE BUSINESS DISTRICT:  After a snow emergency is declared, parking is prohibited in the downtown district for one night between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. This will provide the opportunity for City snowplow crews to haul away snow from the downtown area safely without risk of damaging parked vehicles. The City will make every attempt to declare a snow emergency no later than 8:00 p.m.

4. TEMPORARY PARKING DURING A SNOW EMERGENCY

The City has coordinated with local businesses and churches to identify temporary parking locations during a snow emergency. Temporary parking during snow emergencies is available at the following locations:

• City Hall parking lot located at 415 Central Ave
• City-owned parking lot located at 108 1^st Ave NW (behind Heinen’s Motorsports)
• Parking lot located at 233 1^st Ave NE (accessible from the alley and 1^st Ave NE)
• Parking lot located at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at 710 Broadway Street East

Residents may park their vehicles at these locations to get them off of the street so that City snowplow crews can safely and efficiently plow the streets.

CITY REMOVAL OF SNOW

During a snow emergency, City crews remove snow from the streets toward the sides. Therefore, it is very difficult to keep all driveways and alleys free of snow during the initial plowing of city streets. The City will make every effort to minimize the blocking of driveways and alleys during plowing but cannot guarantee that this will always be possible.

**Residents who have questions about the snow emergency policy or parking prohibitions may contact City Hall by phone at 763-425-2624 or by email at cityhall@ci.osseo.mn.us.

In an effort to more efficiently alert residents when City crews need to plow and clear streets of snow, the Osseo City Council adopted an updated snow emergency policy in 2020. The new policy will help residents and vistors know when the the City has declared a snow emergency event, and what steps they can take to ensure vehicles are out of the way for snow plowing.

Who determines if there will be a snow emergency?
A City of Osseo Public Services employee, who is currently on-duty or an on-duty Osseo Police Officer, will measure any current snow fall at the Osseo Public Works Facility parking lot when there appears to be an accululation of 2 inches or more (located at 800 Broadway Street East). If 2 or more inches have fallen in a single "snow event", then the Public Services employee or Police Officer will report to the Public Services Director or Police Chief who will declare an official snow emergency.

When can a snow emergency be declared?
Residents will be notified of a snow emergency declatation before 8:00 PM in order to be effective the same day, beginning at 10:00 PM.

How will residents be notified that a snow emergency has been declared?
Once the City declares a snow emergency to be in effect, residents can be notified through various means. These include:

A) An official snow emergency declaration banner will appear on the City's homepage. You can log on to www.discoverosseo.com to check for potential snow emergency events.

B) Residents who opt into the email notification system will recieve an email from the City alerting them to a snow emergency declaration. If you'd like to receive email alerts from the City of Osseo, please log on to the City's website and in the middle of the homepage is a section where you can sign up for notifications. Please note: your email address will NOT be used for any purpose other than sharing important City alerts. 

C) The City will also post all snow emergencies on the City's Facebook page and Twitter account. To get snow emergency notifications via Facebook, search "Discover Osseo" and like our page. You can also follow the City's Twitter account (@CityofOsseo). The City will post snow emergency notifications and like to our website for further information.

D)  A message will be posted to the Osseo Gateway Sign at the intersection of County Road 81 and Jefferson Highway.

E) The City will alert local WCCO Television to include Osseo snow emergencies on their scrolling notification bar at the bottom of your TV screen.

F) A phone recording, declaring that the City of Osseo has declared a snow emergency, will be activated when residents call the City of Osseo Snow Emergency Hotline (763-425-SNOW). The recording will give callers further infomation on the snow emergency declaration.

Can snow plow crews prevent driveways and/or alley entrances from being blocked?
Since all snow must be cleared from the roadway in order to keep public roadways safe, snow plow crews have to push snow to the sides. It is very difficult to keep driveways and alley entrances from becoming blocked in on initial passes. Crews will make every effort possible to minimize this problem and may return to alley entrances when possible. Driveways may be blocked, however, when the City receives a large snowfall amount. Again, crews will make every effort to minimize these issues. 

Have people visiting from out of town, or family members who may not live in Osseo at your residence? Make sure they are aware of the no parking restrictions during snow emergencies as well. 

My vehicle was towed. Where can I pick it up?  
The City coordinates all towing with City Wide Towing in Brooklyn Park. Their contact information is:

City Wide Towing
9309 83rd Ave North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
763.424.4900
www.citywidetowingonline.com

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Snow and Sidewalks 

Residential Sidewalks 
Osseo residents are reminded that citizens living in residential districts are required to completely clear public sidewalks within 24 hours of any snowfall. Failure to comply will result in potential citations to the property owner. If the City must clear the sidewalk after the property owner fails to do so, the property owner will be billed for that snow removal service. City crews will strive not to push snow up onto residential sidewalks.

Downtown Business Area
In the Fall 2014 the Osseo City Council adopted an ordinance which listed the requirements for snow removal from the sidewalks in the Central Business District and the R-2 Residential District (apartment areas along 1st Avenues). We hope to keep the Central Business District snow-free to allow residents and customers to park and walk in a safe and convenient manner.

City crews will remove the snow from streets as soon as possible and it is the responsibility of the property owners in the Central Business District and the R-2 Residential District to remove the snow from the sidewalk in front of their business. The City will vigorously enforce this ordinance and will have the snow removed from your property if you do not remove it.

Here is how this ordinance works:

1. During daylight hours (8 AM to 5 PM, 7 days a week) you are required to remove the snow from the sidewalk within 4 (four) hours of when it was deposited. This means you have to remove it 4 hours after it starts snowing, even if it is still snowing. You will need to have the sidewalk shoveled all day between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM.

2. If the snow falls outside of these hours, your responsibility will be to have the sidewalk snow removed as soon as possible after 8 AM and clearly by 12 Noon.

3. The snow should be completely removed from the sidewalk to the street.

Here are some examples:

A) If it starts snowing at midnight and stops at 5 AM, you should have the snow removed as soon as possible but by 12 Noon at the latest.
B) If it starts snowing at 9 AM and continues to snow until 6 PM, you should have the snow removed initially by 1 PM and then completely by 12 Noon the next day.
C) If it starts snowing at 1 PM and stops at 4 PM, snow should be removed by 5 PM same day.

What are the next steps?

1. If the snow is not removed by the required time, the police department will issue a ticket which will cost the property owner approximately $239.
2. If the snow is not removed within 24 hours of the issuance of the ticket, the City will have the snow removed and assess the property owner for the cost.
3. This ordinance will be enforced each snowfall 7 days a week.

We thank you for your help in making Osseo a walkable community under all conditions.