Chapter 12.24
SNOW REMOVAL
Sections:
12.24.010 Declaration of snow season.
12.24.015 Declaration of snow conditions.
12.24.030 Obstructing snow removal equipment prohibited.
12.24.040 Obstructing travel lane prohibited.
12.24.060 Dumping of snow in travel portion of the public right-of-way prohibited.
12.24.070 Declaration of intent.
12.24.075 District boundaries.
12.24.095 Schedule of charges.
12.24.100 Council approval, billing, and payment.
12.24.110 Constitutionality/severance.
Prior legislation: Ord. CCO-95-04.
12.24.010 Declaration of snow season.
It is necessary for the health, safety and welfare of the people of Mt. Shasta that City streets and travel portions of public rights-of-way, to the degree that is reasonable and practical, be kept clear of snow, ice, and other obstructions during the snow season which is generally from November through March of each year. (Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006; Ord. 406 § 2, 1982; Ord. 242, 1965)
12.24.015 Declaration of snow conditions.
Whenever snow or ice conditions exist on City streets that require plowing or removal, as determined by the Public Works Director, all provisions of this chapter shall apply. (Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006)
12.24.020 Definitions.
(A) Public Right-of-Way. For the purposes of snow removal, the “public right-of-way” is that area of the street, shoulder and sidewalk that is maintained by and under the control of the City as delineated in the Siskiyou County Assessor’s parcel maps.
(B) “Travel portion of the public right-of-way” means that portion of the public right-of-way intended for use by motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. (Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006; Ord. 406 § 3, 1982; Ord. 242, 1965)
12.24.030 Obstructing snow removal equipment prohibited.
It shall be unlawful for any person to park, abandon, or otherwise leave unattended any vehicle as defined in Cal. Veh. Code § 670 on any public right-of-way at any time or in any manner which will obstruct, hinder, delay, or otherwise interfere with City employees or authorized contractors engaged in snow removal operations or which will leave the vehicle in such a position that it is subject to damage by City snow removal crews or contractors engaged in snow removal operations.
This provision shall not prohibit the stopping of passenger vehicles for periods of time sufficient to load or discharge passengers from such vehicles. When snow conditions no longer exist, parking may be resumed on individual streets where designated parking spaces are marked and have been cleared, such as in the commercial areas, as soon as snow plowing has been completed on the full width of such streets or where snow has been cleared from both sides of the street (travel lanes and parking lanes) and is stored in a berm in the center of the roadway. (Ord. CCO-06-02, 2006; Ord. 406 § 3, 1982; Ord. 242, 1965)
12.24.035 Vehicle removal.
Any vehicle stopped, parked, abandoned, or otherwise left unattended in violation of MSMC 10.44.020 is hereby declared to be an obstruction to the snow removal operations and shall constitute a nuisance. Vehicles in violation of this section will be cited and towed at the vehicle owner’s expense (Authority: Cal. Veh. Code § 22651(l)). The fine for any violation of this section shall be $100.00 as authorized by Chapter 1.03 MSMC, Enforcement of Code.
Any police officer or person authorized by the City to issue citations is hereby authorized to cite and/or remove or cause to be removed any vehicle in violation of this section. (Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006)
12.24.040 Obstructing travel lane prohibited.
The conditions of snow season create narrow travel ways when snow berms become road shoulder obstructions. It is unlawful to park or stand in any roadway in a manner that would restrict the travel of any vehicle. (Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006; Ord. 406 § 5, 1982)
12.24.050 Warning signs.
Signs giving notice of the prohibited or restricted parking of vehicles on designated streets for the purpose of snow removal must be posted in compliance with Cal. Veh. Code § 22510, and as it may be subsequently amended. (Ord. CCO-06-03, 2006; Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006; Ord. 406 § 6, 1982)
12.24.055 Additional signs.
Additional signs, smaller in size but containing substantially the same wording, may be erected at such places within the City as the Public Works Director shall deem appropriate. (Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006)
12.24.060 Dumping of snow in travel portion of the public right-of-way prohibited.
(A) It is unlawful for any person to place, push, blow, plow, shovel, dump or otherwise relocate snow onto any street or travel portion of the public right-of-way, including after the City’s snow removal equipment has plowed the street or right-of-way, for to do so creates an unsafe condition.
(B) Snow removed from private property may not be piled so as to block or cover a fire hydrant, snow pole, street sign, culvert inlets and outlets, or other drainage structures.
(C) At no time shall snow be placed in traffic lanes, or in front of or onto any other private property without the permission of the property owner or resident. Snow shall not be relocated from private property parking lots, driveways, walkways or yards onto City sidewalks for the purpose of continued relocation onto the City travel portion of public rights-of-way unless authorized by the Public Works Director.
(D) Properties bordering a parkway may place sidewalk snow onto the parkway between the sidewalk and adjacent curb.
(E) Sidewalk snow from zero lot line properties, with no frontage or parkway (considered to constitute a special limiting circumstance), may be placed into the street directly adjacent to the curb of that property.
(F) Snow from private property may be relocated onto City rights-of-way immediately adjacent to the property from which it is removed when the following conditions exist:
(1) The property owner or resident has no other available space on his/her own property on which to store or relocate snow;
(2) Snow may be placed on existing shoulder berms created by City plow operations. (Ord. CCO-06-03, 2006; Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006; Ord. 406 § 7, 1982)
12.24.070 Declaration of intent.
The City Council finds that the clearing of snow from the sidewalks, roadway, and center median in the snow removal district directly benefits businesses by providing cleared parking and safer conditions for vehicles and pedestrians. (Ord. CCO-25-02, 2025)
12.24.075 District boundaries.
The downtown snow removal district (“district”) boundaries are established and the district is bounded by Alma Street to the north, Water Street to the south, Maple Street to the west and Chestnut Street to the east. The district includes all segments of Mt. Shasta Boulevard, Chestnut Street, Castle Street, and Lake Street within those boundaries. See Exhibit A attached to the ordinance codified in this section. (Ord. CCO-25-02, 2025)
12.24.080 Snow removal.
The City shall remove snow from sidewalks and the streets within the district with City-owned equipment and workforce at times deemed appropriate based on weather conditions, workforce availability, and the availability of snow removal equipment. (Ord. CCO-25-02, 2025)
12.24.090 Cost incurred.
The City will seek the recovery of the actual cost of removing snow within the district. These costs will include staff time, equipment, and contracted services utilized to remove snow billed after the previous winter season. The billed costs will include only those snow removal services provided within the boundaries of district. (Ord. CCO-25-02, 2025)
12.24.095 Schedule of charges.
At the conclusion of each snow season, the City Manager shall determine the cost incurred for snow removal within the district. The City Manager will prepare a schedule of costs to be charged to each business within the district by determining the percentage of floor space each business contributes to the total square footage in the district. The floor space used in this calculation will be indicated on each business license renewal. A maximum reimbursement rate of $0.20 per square foot is hereby established. The City Council of the City of Mt. Shasta shall adjust the maximum reimbursement rate by resolution as they deem necessary. (Ord. CCO-25-02, 2025)
12.24.100 Council approval, billing, and payment.
The City Council shall consider the adoption of fees at a public hearing. Fees adopted will be sent by mail to businesses using the address(es) shown on the respective business license renewals. Payment will be due 30 days after the bill is mailed. Delinquent bills will be charged a late fee of 10 percent per month, compounded. (Ord. CCO-25-02, 2025)
12.24.110 Constitutionality/severance.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this code is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this code. The Council declares that it would have passed this code, and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, and phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, or phrases had been declared invalid, unconstitutional, or otherwise unenforceable, and in such event the remainder hereof shall be in full force and effect. (Ord. CCO-25-02, 2025; Ord. CCO-06-01, 2006. Formerly 12.24.130)