With cold weather moving in, and the winter months on the way, it’s a good idea for residents of towns to know their snow ordinance.

In Panora, whenever snow begins to fall and for 48 hours after it stops, vehicles are not allowed to park on city streets during snow removal, with the only exception of the west side of North 1st Street between Main and Market. Not moving vehicles can lead to a citation, or to the vehicle being towed. Snow also has to be removed off the sidewalks as well. Not cleaning sidewalks is a fineable offense.

Under Guthrie Center’s snow ordinance, the city will enact an emergency parking ban anytime there is an accumulation of two or more inches of snow. During the emergency parking ban, there will be no parking on any residential street, alley, or city-owned off-street parking. The ban will stay in effect until snow has stopped falling, and has been removed from streets, alleys and parking areas. Vehicles left on streets, alleys or city parking areas will be fined. Residents are also responsible for removing snow from sidewalks that are against their property.

For Greenfield, the snow ordinance has already gone into effect. From November 1st to March 31st, no vehicles are allowed to park on a public street from 2am-6am, though there are some streets exempt from this ordinance, which can be found in this story online at raccoonvalleyradio.com. A violation will result in a fine, but if someone receives three citations during a 13 month period, their vehicle may be towed.

Sidewalks must be cleared of snow and ice within 48 hours of a snow event, otherwise failure to do so will result in the City doing the removal, and assessing costs against the property owner in the same manner as property tax. It is also illegal to dump snow onto someone else’s property, including pushing it across the street onto another’s parking, or onto a city street.

The south side of E Iowa Street from Public Square to 2nd Street;
The north side of E Iowa Street from a point of 46 feet west of NE 2nd Street to the east side of the north-south alley between E Iowa and NE Court Drive;
The west side of S 1st Street from the square to Jackson Street;
The west side of N 1st Street from the square to Hayes Street;
The north side of SW Court Drive from the east side of the north-south alley east to the west side of the sidewalk;
The south side of W Iowa Street from the Square to 2nd Street;
The south side of NE Court Drive.