City of Northfield, Minnesota, U.S.A.

Winter Parking Ban

A winter parking ban on all city streets is in effect between November 15 and March 15 between the hours of 2am and 6am, snow or no snow. During this time, no parking is allowed on any city street except by permit. Tickets will be issued with accompanying fines. Vehicles may be towed if a snow emergency is declared. After 5 consecutive parking violations, a vehicle will be towed under MN § 169.041 sub 3.

Parking permits require annual application and will only be issued if the Chief of Police or a representative determines that a parking hardship exists. Applications for permits can be obtained from the Public Services/Engineering office or downloaded from this web site. Submit applications to the Public Services/Engineering office at 801 Washington St.

Permits

• Winter On Street Parking
  • 2009 Application (PDF)

Winter Driving and Safety Tips

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/workzone/index.html

Driveway Tips

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/workzone/driveways.html



Permits should be attached to the rear view mirror or clearly displayed in the front window of the vehicle. During a declared snow emergency after a snowfall of two inches or more in depth, permitted vehicles are not allowed to park on the streets. Vehicles must remain off the street until the entire street has been cleared from curb to curb.

Snow Emergencies

The City of Northfield normally declares snow emergencies when a minimum of two inches of snow has been received in a 24 hour period. Snow emergencies are declared to free up hazardous roadways for movement of fire, health, police and emergency traffic, as well as to ensure the safety of the community. The start time for the snow emergency will be declared in the announcement and remain in effect for 72 hours. During this time parking is prohibited on city streets, parking permit or not, until the snow has been plowed from curb to curb. If a vehicle is parked in violation of the snow emergency rules, it may be towed.

Snow Plowing

After a snow event with accumulated snow, snow plowing begins on primary snow emergency routes. After the main arteries in the city have been cleared, plowing begins in residential areas. Downtown snow removal, which involves clearing parking lanes and hauling snow out of the downtown, generally occurs between one and three days after a snow event.

Maintaining the plow schedule is top priority of the Public Services Department during winter months. Residents are asked to adhere to the posted no parking signs and the winter parking ban so snow removal activities can take place.

Trail Clearing

Several City of Northfield trails are cleared and cleaned of snow on a regular basis to ensure safe passages to and from neighborhood schools. View the trail plowing map to find out which trails are kept open during the winter months.

Maps

• City Base Map (2010)
  • Northfield Base Map (2010) (PDF)

  Updated city base map from GIS data. This is a large-format file (35" x 42"), but sections can be printed on smaller sheets using the plot options in Adobe Acrobat. Some streets and cul-de-sacs are not labeled due to lack of space. A version with labels for all streets is in progress.

• Bike Trails Map
  • Bike Trail Map 2009 (PDF)

  Pamphlet containing 8.5" x 11" map of Northfield bike trails and paths along with bicycle safety tips. Map date: July, 2009.

• Plowed Trails Maps
  • Downtown (PDF)
  • Walk and Path Routes (PDF)

  Maps of public paths, trails, and sidewalks plowed by the City of Northfield during winter months. Map date: Winter, 2008.

• Parks & Trails Map
  • Comp-Plan-Parks-Trails-Map (PDF)

  Map of existing and planned parks and trails from the 2007 Northfield Parks, Trails & Open Space Master Plan. Map date: 2007.

• City Street Base Map
  • Street Base Map (PDF) — Large File: 5MB

  This map identifies all City streets.

Shoveling and Clearing

Property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from the sidewalks adjacent to their property within 12 hours after snow or ice precipitation has stopped. If snow and ice are not removed, it may be removed by authorized city personnel, and the costs for snow removal will be assessed against the property. Minnesota Statutes prohibit depositing snow from private property onto a street or municipally owned parking area.