As winter season is upon us, the Cottonwood Heights Public Works Department staff has been working hard to keep city streets safe and clear. But! They need help from residents in order to keep snowplowing operations quick and efficient. 

One of the main obstacles snowplow drivers must navigate around are parked cars. There is not enough room for the snowplow to get through on a street if cars are parked, especially if they’re opposite each other. A residential street may not receive snowplowing services if the snowplow cannot get through due to too many parked cars on the road. 

Within Cottonwood Heights, parking on any street within the city is prohibited during a snowstorm (while snow is accumulating) until 24 hours after the last snowflake falls. It is also illegal to park any car or vehicle on any city street or alley for longer than 24 consecutive hours. Parked cars may end up with a citation and/or administrative fee issued by Cottonwood Heights Code Enforcement. If those citations are ignored, the car may be towed. 

Snowplow drivers also ask residents to pull in their trash and recycling cans as soon as possible. The drivers don’t want to knock over resident’s trash cans or dent them. Per city code, trash and recycling cans should be pulled from the street within 12 hours of the Wasatch Front Waste and Recycling District collection. 

Cottonwood Heights asks all residents to have snow and ice cleared from public sidewalks and driveways within 24 hours after a snowstorm ends. City staff also encourage residents to keep an eye out for their friends and neighbors. If someone is out of town, elderly, or has mobility issues, offer to help clear their sidewalks and driveways. The city does not have the resources to clear private sidewalks and driveways.  

While clearing snow from public ways, the Public Works Department ask residents to be wary about where they are hurling that snow. Blowing or shoveling snow into the street after snowplow drivers have cleared it can result in dangerous ice patches. Instead, Cottonwood Heights Public Works staff members encourage residents to move that snow onto the lawn. 

“Snowplow drivers follow assigned routes, prioritizing the main streets to maintain safe travel for the largest volume of traffic. The city’s policy is plowing every city road within 24 hours after a storm ends,” said Public Works Deputy Director Danny Martinez. 

For more information about snow removal within the city, residents can visit the Cottonwood Heights Municipal Code online. Information about snow removal can be found within Chapter 14 and Chapter 11: www.cottonwoodheights.municipalcodeonline.com

To address a snowplowing issue, call Cottonwood Heights City at 801-944-7000.λ