Snow Emergency for November 28, 2025 - December 2, 2025

The City of Fort Madison has declared a snow emergency from Friday, November 28, 2025, at 8:00 pm until Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 8:00 pm for the entire City area. Please follow snow emergency procedures for parking and clearing of sidewalks:

9-14-4 PARKING DURING SNOW EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.

Whenever the Director finds, on the basis of falling snow, sleet or freezing rain, or on the basis of a forecast of snow, sleet or freezing rain, that weather conditions will make it necessary that vehicle traffic be expedited and that parking on city streets be prohibited or restricted for snow plowing and other purposes, he or she shall put into effect a parking prohibition on parts of or all the roadways of the city streets system as necessary by declaring it in a manner prescribed in this chapter. While the prohibition is in effect, no person shall park or allow to remain parked any vehicle on any portion of roadway which is contrary to the snow emergency procedure. However, nothing in this section permits parking at any time or place where it is forbidden by any other provision of law.

9-14-3 SNOW EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.

(A) Parking shall be permitted adjacent to even numbered properties commencing at 8:00 p.m. on odd numbered days and continuing until 8:00 p.m. the following day. Parking on the opposite side of the street during said period shall be prohibited; except that, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on said even numbered day parking shall be permitted on either side of the street.

(B) Parking shall be permitted adjacent to odd numbered properties commencing at 8:00 p.m. on even numbered days and continuing until 8:00 p.m. the following day. Parking on the opposite side of the street during said period shall be prohibited; except that, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on said odd numbered day parking shall be permitted on either side of the street.

(C) For the purpose of this chapter, properties on the east or easterly side and the south or southerly side of a street shall be deemed to be the even numbered properties and properties on the west or westerly and on the north or northerly side of a street shall be deemed to be the odd numbered properties.

9-14-9 STALLED VEHICLES.

Whenever a vehicle becomes stalled for any reason, while there is a parking prohibition in effect, the persons operating that vehicle shall take immediate action to have the vehicle towed or pushed off the roadway (if it is located contrary to snow emergency procedure) route. No person shall abandon or leave his vehicle in a location prohibited by the snow emergency procedure, except for a reasonable time necessary to receive assistance.

9-14-10 REMOVAL AND IMPOUNDING OF VEHICLES.

(A) Members of the Police Department are authorized to remove or have removed a vehicle when:

(1) The vehicle is parked contrary to the snow emergency procedure;

(2) The vehicle is stalled in a location contrary to the snow emergency procedure and the person who was operating such vehicle does not appear to be removing it in accordance with the provisions of this chapter; or

(3) The vehicle is parked in violation of any parking ordinance or provision of law and is interfering or about to interfere with snow removal operations.

(B) Removal and impounding of vehicles shall be in accordance with § 9-7-13 of this chapter.

9-14-11 CITATIONS ON ILLEGALLY PARKED OR LEFT VEHICLES.

It is unlawful and a violation of this chapter for any person to cause, allow, permit or suffer any vehicle registered in the name of or operated by such person to be parked or left in violation of any provisions of this chapter.

9-14-12 EVIDENCE WITH RESPECT TO ILLEGALLY PARKED OR LEFT VEHICLES.

In any prosecution with regard to a vehicle parked or left in a place or in a condition in violation of any provision of this chapter, proof that the particular vehicle described in the complaint was parked or left in violation of a provision of this chapter, together with proof that the defendant named in the complaint was at the time the registered owner of that vehicle, is presumptive evidence that the defendant was the person who parked or left the vehicle in violation of this chapter.

CITY OF FORT MADISON SNOW COVERED SIDEWALKS 2025-2026

The City will perform removal of ice and snow from abutting owners' property with twelve (12) hours' notice to persons who have not adequately cleared snow from their sidewalks.

Fort Madison City Code, subsections 7-3-1 requires adjoining property owners to maintain sidewalks free and clear from all snow, ice, and accumulations. Further, subsection 7-3-2 declares that failure to remove snow and ice in a reasonable amount of time is a misdemeanor. Finally, subsection 7-3-3 reads:

7-3-3: Assessment:

Should snow, ice, or accumulation be permitted to remain upon any sidewalk for more than a reasonable time, the City Engineer, with or without notice to the owner, tenant, or other person in charge of the property abutting upon said sidewalk, shall cause said snow, ice, or accumulations to be removed, and the expenses of removal shall be specially assessed to the abutting property, in accordance with Section 1-6-9 of this Code. (Ord. A-67, 12-28-53; amd. Ord. B-292, 9-4-79)

Therefore, beginning November 15, 2025, the City will begin posting 12-hour notices on non-compliant properties, and begin clearing all sidewalks of snow not adequately cleared by the property owner within that timeframe. Minimum charge for any abatement is $60.00. All charges will be assessed to the property taxes in the form of a special assessment per City Code 6-4-3(C)(1)(b).