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A-2 Snowplowing Policy: Trails0 C11'V OF CHANBASSEN 7700 Market Boulevard PO Box 147 Chanhassen, MN 55317 Administration Phone: 952.227.1100 Fax: 952.227.1110 Building Inspections Phone: 952.227.1180 Fax: 952.227.1190 MEMORADUM TO: Todd Hoffman, Park & Recreation Director FROM: Dale Gregory, Park Superintendent 44 DATE: August 22, 2011 SUBJ: Trail, Sidewalk and Public Parking Lot Snowplowing Report The Chanhassen Park and Recreation Department clears snow from 80 miles of trails throughout the city, 10 miles of sidewalks in the downtown area, 25 public parking lots, and numerous public building walkways. Engineering Park staff reports to work early in the morning when two (2) inches or more of snow Phone: 952.227.1160 has fallen overnight. Snow accumulation of less than two inches can usually be taken Fax: 952.227.1170 care of during the regular work day. For these lesser snowfalls, pickup trucks with plows are used on the trails and bobcats with v -plows are used on the sidewalks Finance downtown. For larger snowfall events (8 inches or more), two pickup trucks with Phone: 952.227.1140 Fax: 952.227.1110 v -plows are added to help open the trails, and the downtown crew will switch to blowers on the bobcats. For heavy, wet snow storms like the 15.5 inches that fell on Park & Recreation December 10, 2010, crews were not able to get through any trails with the pickups Phone: 952.227.1120 and had to use two tractors with front - mounted snow blowers to open all the trails, Fax: 952.227.1110 which took three weeks to complete. Last year there were three snowstorms that were 10 inches or more that required the use of the tractor snow blowers and pickups Recreation Center 2310 Coulter Boulevard with v- plows. Subsequently, the snow kept building up along the sides of the trails Phone: 952.227.1400 which took crews more time to get them open. Fax: 952.227.1404 TRAIL PLOWING SCENARIO: Planning & Natural Resources Phone: 952.227.1130 January 10 2011 — 2.7 inches of snow A crew of six employees was called to Fax: 952.227.1110 work at 4 a.m. Three employees were sent to Bluff Creek Elementary School, the Recreation Center and Fire Station II to plow parking lots and any trails that kids use Public works to get to the school. Two other employees reported to City Hall, Fire Station I, the 7901 Park Place Library and any trails that kids would use to get to Chanhassen Elementary School. Phone: 952.227.1300 One other employee started with sidewalks around City Hall, the Library, City Center Fax: 952.227.1310 Park, Fire Station I and the Water Treatment Plant. After that was completed, four employees started plowing trails and two employees started clearing sidewalks Senior Center downtown. This crew worked 10 -11 hour shifts to complete this task with an Phone: 952.227.1125 Fax: 952.227.1110 investment of $1,600 in regular wages and $2,300 in overtime wages. Web Site www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us t: \pw_ users\ daleg \snowplowingreport2011.doc Chanhassen is a Community for Life - Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow Todd Hoffman Snowplowing Report August 22, 2011 Page 2 Over the entire 2010/11 snowfall season, the city invested $36,000 in regular wages and $8,700 in overtime wages to clear snow from 80 miles of trails and 10 miles of sidewalk. Over the same time period, $7,200 in regular wages and $10,000 in overtime wages were invested in clearing snow from public parking lots located throughout the community and clearing snow from walkways at the Library, City Center Park Plaza, and Fire Station I. Opw_ users \daleg \snowplowi ngreport201 I . doc ADDENDUM NO. 1 CITY OF CHANHASSEN WINTER MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS POLICY NOVEMBER, 1996 I. INTRODUCTION This document is an addendum to the policy governing snowplowing and ice control on public streets. Winter maintenance of public trails and sidewalks is commenced upon completion of winter street maintenance. Park and recreation personnel must complete their assigned street maintenance duties prior to commencing trail and sidewalk maintenance. II. POLICY Each year the Park & Recreation Department prepares a map depicting the trails and sidewalks which will be maintained through the winter months. Generally this map includes all 8 ft. wide bituminous on and off - street trails, downtown sidewalks, and "school route" sidewalks. Snow removal and ice control on residential sidewalks is the responsibility of the property owners residing or controlling the properties adjacent to these sidewalks. III. COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS Winter trail and sidewalk maintenance typically commences one full day after a snowfall of two inches or more. Scheduling of work is dependent upon the release of personnel from their street maintenance duties. Priority is awarded downtown trail and sidewalk routes and high use trails. IV. SNOW STORAGE In most instances snow and ice removed during the street maintenance is deposited onto the boulevard and sidewalk /trail area. Trail and sidewalk clearing operations result in this snow and ice being placed farther "back" onto the boulevard. In places of extreme confinement, snow and ice may be bladed down a trail or sidewalk for a distance prior to being deposited onto the boulevard. V. USE OF SAND AND SALT The City is concerned about the effect of salt and sand on the environment and will limit its use for that reason. Therefore, it is the policy of the City to utilize salt and sand at locations where there are hazardous or slippery conditions. This provides for traction but is not intended to provide bare pavement during winter conditions. The City will not be responsible for damage to grass caused by salt and sand and therefore will not make repairs or compensate residents for salt and sand damage to turf areas in the street right -of -way VI. PROPERTY DAMAGE Snowplowing and ice control operations can cause property damage even under the best of circumstances and care on the part of the operators. The primary types and area of potential damage are typically related to private improvements made within the City right -of -way which extends approximately 10 to 15 feet beyond the curb location. The intent of the right -of -way is to provide room for snow storage, utilities, sidewalks and other City uses. A. Mailboxes - Mailboxes should be constructed sturdily enough to withstand snow rolling off a plow or wing. While the installation of mailboxes on City right -of -way is permitted, the mailbox owner assumes all risk of damage except when a mailbox is damage through contact by a plow blade, wing, or other piece of equipment. If a mailbox is damaged due to direct contact by snow plowing equipment, the City, at its option, will repair or replace the mailbox at a cost not to exceed $30.00. Damage resulting from snow rolling off a plow or wing is the responsibility of the resident. B. Landscaping - Property owners assume all risk of damage for landscaping, including nursery and inanimate materials that are installed or encroach on City right -of -way. The City assumes no responsibility for damage incurred to these non - permitted elements as a result of snow plowing and ice control activities with the exception that lawns that are scraped or gouged by City equipment will be repaired by top dressing and seeding the following spring. In addition, inanimate materials such as boulders, timbers, etc. are a hazard and can cause damage to plow equipment. C. Other Private Installations - The City will assume no responsibility for underground lawn sprinkling systems, exterior lighting systems, underground electronic dog fences or any other non - permitted features privately installed in City right -of -way. IX. DRIVEWAYS One of the most frequent and irritable problems in plowing snow from public streets, trails and sidewalks is snow deposited in driveways. The operators make every attempt to minimize the amount of snow deposited in driveways; however, due to the inherent design of plow equipment, the amount can still be significant. Due to established priorities and staffing levels, City personnel do not provide driveway cleaning. Possible exceptions are at the discretion of the Street or Park Superintendent for a fire or medical emergency situations. X. COMPLAINTS /INQUIRIES Complaints and inquiries regarding winter maintenance of public trails and sidewalks should be made with the Park Superintendent at the city's public works facility. The phone number during normal business hours is 952 - 227 -1301. Responses to inquiries shall be made within 24 hours. i Mia —ta 2010 2011 Trail Snow Plow Routes Route 1 Route 2 Route 3 Route 4 (6' Sidewalks) Route 5 1 © Parking Lots to be Plowed 0 1,550 3,100 6,200 9,300 12,400 Feet ,Tonuary 4, 2011 Raguet Wildlife Management Area (WMA) 6:16I51Projc&s91cj421 7-ro115nowMaps120101