HomeMy WebLinkAboutStorm Damage Policy
STORM CLEAN-UP POLICY
Implemented October 10, 2016
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
The City of Prior Lake experiences severe weather events on a regular basis during non-winter months
that can include heavy rains, strong winds, lightning, hail and potentially tornadic activity. The purpose
of this Policy is to define and outline how the City will react when such an event occurs and causes
damage to public and private property in the community.
POLICY
Damage can occur during severe weather events including the deposition of leaf litter, loss of small
branches, and in more serious events tree and structure damage. This damage can occur on both public
and private property. Any damage that does occur on public property that is owned and operated by
the City is the responsibility of the City.
When a severe weather event occurs staff will focus on the following priorities:
1. Ensuring that sanitary sewer lift stations are operating whether on regular or temporary power.
2. Ensuring that public streets are passable for emergency purposes.
3. Ensuring that public buildings and associated infrastructure is accessible and operating.
4. Clearing debris from public ROWs that originated in the public ROW.
5. Clearing debris from active use areas in the parks system.
6. Addressing any other debris removal from public property.
Generally any damage that occurs on private property is the responsibility of the private property
owner. However, there may be instances when the City makes a determination that it is in the
community’s best interest to assist in clean-up efforts. This determination will be made by the City
Manager/Public Works Director on a case-by-case basis and will use the following factors:
1. Risk to public safety. Clean-up efforts from the damage is leading to traffic congestion in the
impacted areas causing access and street obstruction issues or impacting infrastructure
operation.
2. Extent of damage both in severity and in geographic area. The damage is severe causing
widespread loss of trees or large limbs.
3. Priority of workload needs and availability of City resources to assist.
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
When the City makes a determination to assist in the clean-up efforts it will only include tree and brush
material. The City will not pick up any material that is required to be disposed of at a landfill (i.e. debris
from structures, carpet, etc.) The City will only pick up yard waste that has been processed and stacked
on the curb by the private property owner or their agent. The City will not enter private property to
move materials. Property owners are expected to adhere to the following procedures to process the
material for pick-up:
1. Cut all logs to an 8’ length or less.
2. Brush should be cut in 8’ lengths or less and stacked neatly with the stump side to the street.
3. All material should be stacked within the ROW (7’ or less from the curb). Material should be
above the curb and NOT in the street blocking the gutter for storm drainage.
4. The city will not pick up root balls or non-storm related material.
Failure to follow this protocol will result in pick-up cancellation. Residents should call the City’s main
line to schedule a pick-up. Scheduling of pick-ups will occur based on the number of calls, location of
pick-up and other workload constraints.
OTHER RESOURCES
Residents have the following options available for clean-up and/or disposal of storm damage material:
1. The SMSC, Organics Recycling Facility offers free yard waste disposal and accepts all non-treated
wood products, including logs, brush and lumber. The ORF is located at 1905 Mystic Lake Drive
South in Shakopee, MN 55379 and is open Monday - Saturday: 7am - 7pm. If you have any
questions residential customers can call the ORF directly at (952) 233-9191.
2. Contact your garbage hauler to see if they will accept the yard waste as part of their recycling
program.
3. Contact a tree removal vendor. There are several reputable tree vendors in the area.
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
This policy will be implemented only after severe weather events in the following manner:
1. After a severe weather event public works staff will survey the damage and report the severity,
intensity and geographic locations of visible damage to the Public Works Director.
2. The Public Works Director, working with the City Manager, will make a determination based on
this policy as to whether public assistance will be provided.
3. When the City Manager/Public Works Director makes the determination to on whether to
provide public assistance or not they will communicate this decision to all departments through
the City Response Form.
4. The City Response Form will be routed to all front line staff, the Police Department, and the
Communications Coordinator. This form will provide information about the event along with
instructions as to City response, call routing, and work request entry (if applicable).
5. The Communications Coordinator will post this decision on the City’s website, and applicable
social media outlets. This communication will take the form of instructions on how to make use
of the public assistance if offered OR information on how residents can address storm damage if
the City is not providing assistance. In addition, this information will be posted on the City’s
electronic sign boards.
6. Calls received by residents, regardless of City Response, will be logged in Cartegraph.
CITY RESPONSE FORM
S/FORMS/CITY RESPONSE FORM
Today’s Date:
Name of Event:
Date of Event:
Calls can be routed to:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Will the City be providing assistance _____ YES
_____ NO _____UNKNOWN at this time
Message from City:
Is there further information on the City website? _____YES _______NO
Page Location:
City Responsibility:
Tentative Timeline for Response:
Homeowners Responsibility:
Other Assistance Available:
City Contact: Phone: Email:
Record in Cartegraph ____YES _____NO WO#:___________________
Cartegraph Type of Request: ____________________________________________
CITY RESPONSE FORM
S/FORMS/CITY RESPONSE FORM
Lori Folie lfolie@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9800
Gina Wilson gwilson@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9844
Mary Ann Olson maolson@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9843
Sandy Woods swoods@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9810
Susan Zick szick@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9830
Ann Schroeder aschroeder@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9803
Barb Thompson bthompson@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9896
PD Contact jbisek@pd.cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9860
Frank Boyles fboyles@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9801
Dave Elbon delbon@cityofpriorlake.com 952-447-9804