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1. What streets in town are snow emergency routes?

All snow emergency routes are clearly marked with signs along the route that reminds people that parking is not allowed once 2 inches of snow falls on our community. Routes designated:
-11th Avenue from Park Dr. to Foster Street
-15th Avenue from Commerce Street to Park Drive
-1st Avenue Foster Street to Mattie Street
-1st Avenue from Minnesota Street to Foster Street
-5th Avenue from Edgerton Street to Sanborn Street
-5th Avenue from Sanborn Street to Foster Street
-8th Avenue from Ohlman Street to Minnesota Street
-Burr Street
-East Kay Avenue
-Fairoaks Avenue from Main Street to Kimball Street
-Foster Street from Havens to Shanard Road
-Havens Street from Ohlman Street to Burr Street
-Kimball Street from 7th Avenue to 23rd Avenue
-Miller Street from Havens to Ninde
-Miller Street from Ninde Street to Norway Avenue
-Minnesota Street from 7th Avenue to 23rd Avenue
-Minnesota Street from Havens to 7th Avenue
-Norway Avenue from Ohlman Street to Kay Avenue
-Park Drive from 15th Avenue to 11th Avenue
-Sanborn Street from Havens to North Highway 37
-South Rowley Street from Havens to Spruce Street

Please call the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400 for more information.

2. Once the snow emergency route is plowed curb-to-curb can I park back on that street?

No, the actual ordinance is as follows:

7-6-2: Snow Emergency Routes:
Subpart B: Parking Restrictions: When a snowfall of more than two inches (2") occurs, no person shall park or leave parked along the curb parking areas on any of the streets or portions of streets designated as snow emergency routes any vehicle until such time as the street has been cleared of snow back to the curb line and snowfall accumulation has ceased (Ordinance 1518, 12-16-1985).

Please take note of the last portion of the ordinance where it states no parking is allowed until the street has been cleared "and snowfall accumulation has ceased."

During a snow event the plowing of the highways and snow emergency routes begin almost immediately sometimes with less than an inch of snow on the ground. However, ticketing and towing along emergency routes begins once it is determined that we have received 2 inches of snow. Ticketing and towing continues until the snow event has ended. The Street Department plows emergency routes several times during a storm. Storms sometimes spread over 2 and on rare occasions 3 days. On those occasions there should be no parking on emergency snow routes for whatever the length of the storm. Please call the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400 for more information.

3. How do I know when I need to remove my car from the streets?

Any time snow begins to fall during the winter, your car should be removed from the emergency snow routes and refrain from parking on these routes until the storm has passed.

Every few hours, throughout a snow event, public service announcements are given to the local radio stations and newspaper. The local radio stations are very quick in responding to these public service announcements. They do an excellent job in informing the public of what is taking place for snow removal activities. These announcements can also be found on the Mitchell website.

4. Can I park my vehicle in the boulevard?

No, because that area is public right of way and would be considered part of the street. Please call the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400 for more information.

5. I live on an east - west street. How soon do I need to remove my car from the street?

The normal sequence of plowing streets in Mitchell is emergency and priority routes first. If the snow has diminished, the plowing of east - west streets immediately follows the completion of the emergency routes. Ticketing on east - west streets begins when the plowing begins on those streets. Therefore, it is advisable to listen to the radio stations or check the internet for plowing announcements. It is advisable to remove your vehicle from east - west streets as soon as snow begins to fall. Please call the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400 for more information.

6. When do the north - south streets get plowed?

Plowing begins on the north - south streets as soon as the east - west streets have been cleared curb to curb. Please call the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400 for more information.

7. Does ticketing begin on north - south streets as soon as plowing begins?

Ticketing (by ordinance) does not begin on the north - south routes for twelve hours after the completion of plowing the east - west streets. This is to give residence some time to remove the vehicles from the north - south streets. That means the street department will likely return the following day to cleanup areas where cars were parked on the first day.

If your vehicle is still on the street 12 hours after the east - west streets have been cleared, you may receive a ticket. The Police Department patrols those streets, after 12 hours have passed, and writes tickets to vehicles that have not been moved during that storm and have been plowed around. Please call the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400 for more information.

8. When does snow removal in the down town district begin?

Snow removal in the downtown area, District A, occurs as soon as practical after a storm has passed. Signs are placed in the streets at numerous locations in District A and public service announcements are made on the radio stations. No parking is allowed on any street in this district after 11 p.m. that night. Parking is restricted until after the windrow of snow is completely removed from a given street. Get more information regarding District A.

9. When are city owned parking lots cleared of snow?

Public parking lots are cleaned as soon as practical after the snow is removed from the downtown District A streets. However, snow removal in parking lots and streets in District A are never performed on the same night. Signs are placed at entrances into the parking lots that are going to be cleared and announcements made on the radio stations and sent out as Snow Alerts.

10. When the snow plow went past it threw snow up on the sidewalk does the city remove this snow?

It is the property owner's responsibility to keep the sidewalks clear of snow and ice. If the property owner does not clear the sidewalk the city may clear the walk and bill the property owner. Please call the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400 for more information.

11. I have a large pile of snow in front of my mailbox and the post office will not deliver the mail. Will the city clear the snow in front of the mailbox?

It is the residence responsibility to keep the snow removed from in front of the mailboxes. With over 4,000 residences in Mitchell it is impossible to keep mailboxes clear of snow piles. When snow is plowed from the street, it is pushed to the side. Over time a windrow of snow accumulates in front of mailboxes. If we continue to push the snow over, eventually the mailbox would also be pushed over. Please call the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400 for more information.