Winter Parking

Rules and Regulations for Streets and Winter Parking

General Parking

It is unlawful for any recreational vehicle, utility trailer, or boat to be parked on any city street or right-of way for more than 24 hours or more. It is unlawful for any lawfully parked vehicle to be left on any street for more than 24 hours. It is unlawful for a truck larger than 12,000 gross vehicle weight, truck tractor, semi-trailer, bus, or construction trailer to be parked in the Urban Service area of the city that are zoned for residential purposes.

Winter Parking

During the winter months, starting on the first day of November to May 1st of the following year, it is unlawful for any person to stop, park, or leave standing a vehicle on any street or highway between the hours of 1:00 AM to 11:00 AM. A snow event occurs when there is a snowfall of 2” or more and ends when the roads have been cleared to full width. Violators will be towed at the owner’s expense.

Snow Removal

Residents are asked to follow these steps to ensure service:

• Please remove cars from the street within 24 hours
• Remove emptied refuse containers
• Don’t park in front of driveways
• Do not blow, push or pile snow onto the roadway
• Use caution and patience with snowplows and their drivers

The first priority is to clear the main thoroughfares to enable emergency vehicles access into and out of the City. Once these have been cleared, crews begin clearing less traveled streets and cul-de-sacs. Generally, it takes about eight hours to plow all of the City streets.

Fire Hydrants

The City of St. Francis Public Works and Fire Departments would like to remind all residents to help us keep access open to fire hydrants when clearing snow this winter.  If there is a hydrant near your home, please clear away a minimum of a three feet clearance so they are visible and accessible.  Also make sure all of your exit doors can be opened and not blocked by snow.  Thank you.

Plow Damage

The City does not assume liability for damage causes to obstacles in the road right-of way. These include:

• Fences
• Vegetation
• Irrigation heads
• Landscaping

Wooden lathes are distributed at City Hall before the first plow event. This lathe should be used to mark the edge of the pavement by driving it no more than 6 inches into the ground. This way, utility lines will be avoided. For safety reasons, metal fence posts are not approved to mark the edge of the pavement, and will be removed by Public Works staff.

Mailboxes will only be repaired if the plow makes direct contact with the mailbox. Heavy amounts of snow can damage mailboxes as the season progresses. Ensure the mailbox post is solid and the mailbox is securely fasted to the post. Ensure the mail box is properly installed by using the USPS installation guidelines (link below).

In the event that property is damaged due to snow removal crews, call Public Works staff at 763-233-5200.