Precautions and prescriptions for the next snowfall

CHENEY – While not as early as last year’s first snowfall, Friday’s snowstorm created about as much damage and confusion — especially when it comes to who does what when the white stuff falls.

According to the National Weather Service, 6.2 inches of snow had accumulated at Spokane International Airport by 7 p.m. Oct. 23, easily surpassing the previous October record of 3.3 inches set last Oct. 8-9 last year. The early arrival of both storms caused numerous problems not usually seen with other winter snowfalls in that most of the trees still had their leaves — creating excess weight that brought down a number of limbs and branches.

“The timing of this early snow event has caused accumulation of wet snow combined with below normal temperatures causing ice sheets under compacted snow and very difficult to remove, especially on sidewalks that have been walked on,” Public Works Director Todd Ableman said in an Oct. 26 email.

The storm also led to questions among many residents on social media about when the city begins plowing streets, how that plowing progresses and who is responsible for taking care of sidewalks.

According to officials, Cheney’s plows begin to roll when two inches of snow has begun accumulating, focusing first on arterial streets such as State Route 904, Betz and Salnave roads along with Washington, Elm and North Sixth streets. Depending on how much snow falls and how heavy, those arterials can be cleared in about 4 – 6 hours.

After that, contingent upon variables such as whether students are in attendance or not, plows move to clearing streets around Cheney School District schools and Eastern Washington University. Finally, plows move to the remaining residential streets, but instead of together, splitting up to focus on specific areas of the city.

According to the city’s municipal code, as long as snow remains on city streets to be cleared, drivers parking their vehicles on the street or right of ways must remove them between midnight and 6 a.m., except in the central business district where they must be out of the way between 3 – 6 a.m.

The code defines the central business district “as the area bordered by and inclusive” of First and Second streets from G Street to D Street, and G and D streets between First Street and Second Street. Owners of vehicles not moved, and could potentially block the plows, may be issued a $50 citation by Cheney police, have their cars towed and be required to pay those towing expenses.

While it happens, Cheney police Sgt. Nate Conley said this is rare. What isn’t are vehicles that fall under the portion of the city code that prohibits them from being parked or left standing in any public right of way for longer than 72 hours.

“Vehicles that get plowed in during snow events and remain that way for an extended period of time draw attention,” Conley said. “We typically follow our abandoned auto protocol in those situations, mark the vehicle, send a letter to the registered owner, and tow approximately one week later if it hasn’t moved.”

Snow also must be removed from sidewalks and parking. While Cheney has ordinances governing plowing, parking and snow removal, there is no enforceable code governing sidewalks.

City codes do govern where that snow can and cannot go. Those codes state “no person, firm or corporation shall shovel, push, doze or by other means remove any snow from any service station lot or driveway, any parking lot, any private driveway or other private property and deposit the same upon any curbing, parking strip, sidewalk, or upon any alley or city street within the corporate limits of the city.”

The exception to this is for removing snow from a public sidewalk and for loading snow onto a truck or other vehicle for purposes of carting it away. With regards to the latter the code also notes that “Snow sliding from roofs of any building or other structure upon any street or alley shall be construed to have been removed by the owner or tenant thereof and the same shall be immediately removed by truck or other vehicle from such street or alley at the expense of the owner or tenant.”

When it comes to fire hydrants, Fire Department officials note that if you have a hydrant on your property it’s up to you to keep a three-foot circumference space around the hydrant free of any obstruction — including not only snow, but trees, shrubs, grass or other growth along with trash or a similar obstruction.

It’s also up to the resident to report any damage done to fire hydrants so that repairs can be made.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].