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Winter Operations

WINTER OPERATIONS: SNOW & ICE CONTROL

SCOPE:
This statement outlines the City's policy on snow and ice control on City streets, sidewalks, building accesses and municipal parking lots.

POLICY:
The City of Courtenay will endeavour to provide for reasonably safe movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic when winter weather conditions prevail. This will generally be in compliance with this policy, the Maintenance Management System, budget allocations and the availability of equipment and human resources.

The City is divided into five areas referred to as sectors (a copy of the Sector Map is attached to this Policy). Within each of these sectors specific priorities on snow and ice control will be set out in a Procedure. The Public Works Foreman is responsible for deciding how best to apply the resources at his disposal to address the particular snow and ice hazard.

Road Snow Plowing
Plowing will commence when the depth of falling snow reaches 10 cm (4") or when the road conditions are such that a lesser depth of snow is causing dangerous conditions. Within each sector the priorities for road and facilities plowing are as follows:
a) Road Plowing Priorities:
(i) Arterial Roads
(ii) Collector Roads
(iii) Local Roads
(iv) Cul-de-sacs
(v) Lanes

b) Facilities and Routes Priorities:
(i) Emergency Service Facilities including City Hall and other municipal offices
(ii) Bus Routes - Public Transit
(iii) Steep Hills
(iv) School Areas

Sanding/De-icing (Salting)
Sand and/or de-icing materials will be applied in the proportions considered appropriate for the particular road and weather conditions prevailing at the time and those forecasted to occur. The Public Works Foreman will make this decision based on daily local weather forecasts and actual road conditions. In addition, if called upon by the RCMP road patrol officers, specific sanding/de-icing will be applied where requested.

Sidewalk Snow Plowing
The adjoining property owner/occupier is responsible under Bylaw No. 1798, 1994 for the removal of snow from sidewalks. During periods of heavy snowfall, the City will support the public clearing of sidewalks on streets with high pedestrian traffic.

Snow will be plowed from sidewalks when the depth of falling snow reaches 10 cm (4") or the sidewalk conditions are such that a lesser depth of snow is causing dangerous conditions. Within each sector the priorities for sidewalk plowing at facilities are as follows:

a) Sidewalk Plowing Priorities:
(i) Downtown Core bounded within 3rd St., Cliffe Ave., 8th St. and Fitzgerald Ave.
(ii) Arterial Roads
(iii) Collectors
(iv) Paved walkways joining sidewalks (sidewalk linkages)

b) Facility Priorities:
(i) Emergency facilities including City Hall
(ii) Bus Stops - Transit System
(iii) Steep hills
(iv) Schools
(v) Municipal Buildings/Accesses and Parking Lots including stairs

Municipal Buildings/Accesses and Parking Lots
The road accesses to municipal buildings, access lanes, internal walkways and sidewalks on their frontage with the City street, will be cleared of snow and ice when the depth of falling snow reaches 10 cm (4") or conditions are such that a lesser depth of snow or ice is causing dangerous conditions.

The priority will be as follows:
a) Municipal Buildings/Accesses:
(i) Fire Hall
(ii) City Hall
(iii) Filberg Centre
(iv) Lewis Centre
(v) Library

b) Parking Lots:
(i) Sixth Street/Duncan Avenue parking lot
(ii) Fourth Street/Duncan Avenue parking lot
(iii) Cliffe Avenue/Simms Lane parking lot
(iv) Chamber of Commerce building and parking area
(v) Economic Development/Marina/Airpark building and parking areas
(vi) Cemetery