- Home
- City Services
- Snow & Parking
- Winter Parking
Winter Parking
Winter Parking Ban
Vehicles cannot be parked on any city street between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. from November 15 to March 15. The Winter Parking Ban is in effect regardless if there is an accumulation of snow on the ground.
Municipal Code Ch. 78, Article IV, § 78-102
Municipal Code Ch. 78, Article IV, § 78-105
Violations
Vehicles in violation of the Winter Parking Ban will be ticketed and may be towed.
- Ticketing
The fine for each Winter Parking Ban ticket is $50 or if not paid within 10 days $70.
- Towing
After receiving five consecutive parking violations, a vehicle will be towed under Minnesota statute. The towing company charges a towing fee plus a daily storage fee. Additionally, any vehicles parked on the street at any time of day during a declared Snow Emergency will be towed.
Winter Parking Permits
The City offers 2 types of Winter Parking Permits during the Winter Parking Ban to residents: Winter On-Street Residential Parking Permit and Winter Downtown Parking Permit.
Snow Emergencies
These Winter Parking Permits do not allow on-street parking during a Snow Emergency.
Applying for a Permit
Permits must be applied for EACH year.
(1) Winter On-Street Residential Parking Permit
Allows residents to park on the street during the Winter Parking Ban as long as a Snow Emergency has NOT been declared. These permits are intended to cover extenuating circumstances for residential properties that do not have adequate off-street parking. Each year applications must be submitted to the Streets and Parks Manager, providing a detailed explanation of the circumstances that prevents them from using off-street parking, justifying the need for a permit.
Apply for a Winter On-Street Residential Parking Permit
Questions for On-Street Residential Permit contact the Streets and Parks Department at
507-645-3045.
(2) Winter Downtown Parking Permit
These permits are limited to downtown apartments that do not have off-street parking. The Winter Downtown Parking Permit allows those residents to park in certain city parking lots during a declared Snow Emergency. It does not exempt downtown residents from the normal city parking regulations. Landlords should apply yearly at City Hall/Engineering Office for permits to cover tenants in their building. Landlords are responsible for getting permits and parking policies to their tenants.
*Landlords' Responsibility: The winter parking permits are not intended to allow landlords to bypass existing parking requirements for residential rental properties (2 spaces per rental unit – Municipal Code Ch.14, Article III, Div. 3, § 14-123).
Parking Policies for Downtown Residents
Questions for Downtown Parking Permit contact the Engineering Office at 507-645-3020.
Visitors
If residents will have a visitor for a night or two, they may simply call the Police Department at
507-645-4477.