The Excelsior City Council spent a significant amount of time at its Dec. 17 meeting discussing amendments to the City Code pertaining to snow removal.
The council identified several changes that it wanted to have incorporated into the ordinance.
One change that will be incorporated into code is that within 24 hours after snow stops falling, and after two or more inches has accumulated, snow must be removed from sidewalks.
The previous trigger amount was four inches.
The council also spent some time discussing the part of the code that allows residents to shovel snow off of their driveway and sidewalks and into the street.
Some council members were not aware that this was allowed and discussed the option of changing it.
Several residents also spoke in favor of changing the code so dumping snow in the street wasn't permitted.
"I am concerned that this could become a free for all and cost the taxpayers money when it only benefits a few," said Mayor Nick Ruehl. "I didn't know that we pushed snow out into the streets. I didn't know how widespread it was in the residential areas. We're kind of creating a hazard."
Council Member Wendy Berghorst and Ruehl were in favor of removing the ability to put snow in the streets, and council member Jennifer Caron and Greg Miller were in favor of keeping it in.
"There is not as much space as others in a lot of the lots," said Caron.
Miller also pointed out that it has been the procedure in the past, and the council had not heard complaints before that it had posed a problem.
"It's been the procedure, and we really haven't had a real problem with it," said Miller.
Caron also pointed out that it hadn't posed a problem in the past, and the council voted to keep the current procedure in place.
