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Public Works Committee <br />Date: 04/19/2011 <br />By: Grant Riemer <br />Engineering/Public Works <br />Information <br />Title: <br />Review Sidewalk Plowing Policy <br />Item #: 5. 2. <br />Background: <br />Part of the 2011 Strategic Action Plans for engineering/public works was to review the sidewalk plowing policy. <br />Areas to be reviewed include: <br />Critical plowing vs non issue <br />Establish policy on who will be responsible for maintenance <br />Define the difference between sidewalks and trails <br />Enforcement -Level of service <br />Inventory and map <br />Review impact to sidewalk policy -do we continue to add sidewalks <br />1. Critical plowing vs non issue <br />Our current policy requires Public Works to plow all trails and sidewalks. Under that policy our priorities are the <br />school walking areas first, the COR area second and all remaining sidewalks and trails next. Most 8-10' trails are <br />cleared at the end of a full scale plowing event. The remaining trails and sidewalks, not included in the school <br />walking areas or the COR, are completed within 48 hours of the end of the plowing event. We do not use overtime <br />to plow sidewalks or trails. <br />2. Establish policy on who will be responsible for maintenance <br />There are several options to consider. <br />A. Continue to operate under current policy. <br />Public Works would continue to be responsible for clearing all sidewalks and trails on public roadways. <br />B. Require town home associations to maintain sidewalks/trails within their developments. <br />These are the most time consuming areas. With space being limited, contractors pile snow on the sidewalks making <br />it difficult, if not impossible to get through after a couple of snowfalls. Associations are reminded to inform their <br />contractors about plowing snow onto sidewalks, but compliance is sporadic at best. <br />C. Require residents to clear all trails and sidewalks adjacent to their property <br />While clearing the sidewalk adjacent to residential property is fairly common, we have quite a few undeveloped <br />lots in some areas. Any policy requiring homeowners to clear sidewalks would have to address the vacant property <br />situation as well. Clearing the transportation/recreational trails is not commonly done by residents. This would in <br />