Snow Plowing and Ice Control Policy

Medina adopted the Snow Plowing and Ice Control Policy(PDF, 1MB) to define and provide reasonable snow plowing and ice control services on City roads for routine travel and emergency services and to provide such services in a safe and cost-effective manner while balancing personnel resources and environmental concerns.

Winter Parking - City Code 340.05(PDF, 10KB) prohibits parking on any public street from November 1st through March 31st during the hours of 1:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m. If at all possible, the City plow crew would appreciate having no vehicles parked on City streets when snowfall occurs during the daytime to allow for better plowing services down your streets.

Sidewalks - City Code No. 420(PDF, 14KB) regarding sidewalks states that no property owner, with a sidewalk in front of their home for public use, shall allow any accumulation of snow or ice to remain longer than 12 hours after the snow or ice has ceased to form thereon. Any owner or occupant who fails or refuses to remove such ice and snow shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to the penalties listed on the above city code. Please be a good neighbor and make sure that the sidewalk in front of your residence gets cleared in a timely manner.

Keep Snow and Objects Off of the Roadway - Snowplow drivers would like to remind property owners not to push snow from driveways onto the street.  Any snow left on the road or side of the road can freeze and create a hazard for snowplow drivers and equipment if they catch the frozen ridge with their plow.  Minnesota Statutes prohibit plowing, shoveling, blowing, or depositing snow on a public street.  The violation is a misdemeanor. In addition, the property owner and/or person dumping the snow could be liable for damages. 

Also, just a reminder to keep garbage and recycling cans, as well as basketball hoops and other objects from the roadway.  These items should be kept in the driveway and should not extend into the street, making it difficult to remove snow effectively.

Mailboxes - Please check your mailbox for sturdiness and get repaired as needed, as the City is not responsible for mailboxes damaged by snow being pushed off the roads.

Fire Hydrants - We need your help in keeping fire hydrants near your home cleared of snow to allow for quick access for firefighters in the event of a fire. Please take a minute to locate the nearest hydrant to your home and remember to clear the snow all the way around the hydrant after each snow fall.

Application of Salt to Clear Streets - The City on occasion receives questions regarding the use of salt and brine mix to clear streets. The effectiveness of salt or brine mix is dependent on the road temperature which is impacted by both sun and traffic volumes.  All of Medina's Public Works Snowplow Drivers have successfully completed Smart Salting training and are certified through the Minnesota Pollution Control to limit salt without jeopardizing safety as the use of salt is monitored by the MPCA for environmental quality purposes. Public Works monitors the condition of the City streets to ensure the safety of drivers and also uses sand and rock chips to help with traction under certain conditions.

When Does My Street Get Plowed? - Medina’s roadways and trails are handled by City employees; County roadways are handled by Hennepin County; sidewalks are plowed by the property owner or H.O.A. contractor, if applicable.  Snow accumulation of two to three inches or more warrants the official snow event plowing of roadways and trails in Medina.  Snow plowing personnel will attempt to be out clearing roads prior to rush hour beginning (either early morning, or later afternoon) to avoid being an obstacle to traffic.

The City’s snow plowing priority schedule is as follows:

  1. Main Collector Roads
  2. Residential Streets
  3. Cul-de-sacs and Dead-end Streets
  4. Trails
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