To ticket and tow fewer cars, Richfield redefined 'snow emergency'

A small change in how often Richfield declares snow emergencies could make a big difference for residents who have trouble finding somewhere to park.

The city stopped declaring snow emergencies last winter for less than 4 inches of snow and started allowing snow emergency parking on certain streets. In the past, just 2 inches of snow would require all cars to get off city streets. The aim is fewer costly tickets and towed cars for Richfield's poorest residents — who are more likely to live in apartments that might lack a dedicated parking space.

"There's a cost with the ticket. There's a really big cost to be towed," said Richfield's Deputy Public Works Director Chris Link. "We're taking people's time to go get their car."

Richfield's snow emergency experiment is part of a citywide push to examine how policies and procedures might be disproportionately hurting people of color and low-income residents, Link said, an effort driven by the city's equity and diversity coordinator but encompassing all city departments.

With hundreds more Richfielders living in apartment buildings than a decade ago, according to the Metropolitan Council — and more new buildings underway — more people have trouble finding a place to park when the city declares a snow emergency.

Lisa Foster, co-executive director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, a national advocacy organization, said getting towed can be a disaster for people working low-wage jobs.

"If you can't come up with the money, you lose your car, which can be devastating," she said. "That means you're out of work. Poor people become poorer."

Safe roads and access for first responders remain key priorities, Link said. Richfield is still plowing after lighter snow, just not requiring residents to move their cars.

City staff is compiling data to present to the City Council later this year about how the new approach has played out. This winter's near-record snowfall and the unusually un-snowy winter last year make it hard to compare the number of tickets and tows with a "normal" winter. But Link said he gets the sense that the changes are helping residents, without hurting safety. He said he expects to recommend a permanent shift to declare snow emergencies only when the forecast calls for 4 inches of snow or more.

Other cities' snow emergency criteria vary. Some, including Minneapolis, Brooklyn Center and Golden Valley, take storms on a case-by-case basis, while others declare snow emergencies largely based on how much snow is expected. St. Louis Park and Bloomington typically call snow emergencies after 3 inches, while Eden Prairie and Hopkins declare snow emergencies with 2 inches of snow.

St. Louis Park and Bloomington offer free parking areas, Link said. Minneapolis and St. Paul experimented with free and very low-cost off-street parking this winter, too, opening garages during the two-day storm in late February. Richfield started allowing parking on certain blocks of Cedar Avenue and 78th Street, in the neighborhoods with the most apartment buildings.

When it comes to reducing the burden snow emergencies can place on poor residents, convenient parking areas — and fewer snow emergencies in general — are a good place to start, Foster said. Text-message alerts can also help make sure everyone is aware of a snow emergency.