City encourages residents to plan ahead for winter parking

WASHINGTON — The Washington Police Department is asking city residents to start making arrangements for off-street parking ahead of the snowy season, now a few years into a new municipal ordinance that restricts parking during snowstorms, even for residents without their own driveway.

The ordinance is already in effect, as it is from Nov. 1 to April 1 every year, and requires cars to be off the street once snow removal operations begin: either the first night after a light snow, or potentially mid-day during heavy storms. Violators get a $50 ticket, and can be towed after a few days.

Previous versions of the code only mandated car removal following a mayoral proclamation or a lengthy delay, which municipal staff said threw a wrench in snow removal efforts. Police Chief Jim Lester said at a city council meeting Tuesday night that his department had begun its annual push for public awareness on the issue.

“Given the fact that we are almost certain to have some of the white stuff this winter, the Washington Police Department reminds residents that now is a good time to plan for off-street parking options during snow events,” the department said in a Facebook post this week. “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 … A Snow Ban Ordinance from Nov. 1 to April 1 allows for the safe initiation and completion of ice and snow removal operations.”

City code chapter 69.12 gives different snow parking rules for different parts of town.

In residential areas, no on-street parking is allowed from the moment plows fire up until the street is cleared and flakes stops falling.

Within a block of the square downtown, street parking is permitted on business days from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., even during snow events, but it’s banned outright from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. if snow is on the ground. That parking ban extends even to mid-street parking stalls, not just along the curb.

The city launched a text message notification system last year, to let people know when their cars had to move. To opt into that service, city residents can text WASHIOWAPARKING to 67283. Email alerts are also available through Alert Iowa, which is linked in the online version of this article. Downtown residents can also keep an eye out for large signs ahead of snow removal nights placed at the corners of the square.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com