APPENDIX H: MORRIS CITY ORDINANCES

APPENDIX H: MORRIS CITY ORDINANCES

The following is a list of city ordinances affecting walking and biking within the City of Morris. This list has been abridged. A complete and updated version can be viewed at https://www.ci.morris.mn.us/wpcontent/uploads/2020/10/City-Code-Updated-2018-compressed.pdf. For questions or interpretation, please contact the City of Morris.

SEC. 2.74. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

A. Arterial Streets. Arterial streets shall be of "9 ton" design, of adequate width to accommodate projected traffic volumes. Sidewalks shall be provided on both sides of all arterial streets unless specifically omitted by the Council, and shall be of the width approved by the Council. Arterial streets shall be resurfaced at or near their expected service age, dependent upon existing conditions.

B. Collector Streets. (Collector streets including commercial and industrial access streets) shall be of "7 ton" design, or "9 ton" design, based on anticipated usage, and shall normally be 44 feet in width, measured between faces of curbs. Sidewalks shall be provided on both sides of all collector streets and shall be at least five feet in width, unless otherwise approved by the Council. Wherever feasible, a boulevard at least five feet in width shall be provided, measured from the street face of curb to the street face of the sidewalk. Collector streets shall be resurfaced at or near their expected service age or at such time as the Council determines it is necessary to raise the structural value of the streets.

C. Minor Streets. Minor streets shall be of "7 ton" design, 36 feet in width, measured between faces of curbs. Unless specifically omitted by the Council, sidewalks shall be provided on both sides of all minor streets that have one or more midblock building sites. Where no midblock building sites are located within a block or where other improvements have previously been constructed, the Council may order the construction of sidewalks when such construction is warranted. Minor streets shall be resurfaced at or near their expected service age, dependent upon existing conditions.

SEC. 7.05. ICE AND SNOW ON PUBLIC SIDEWALKS.

Subd. 1. Ice and Snow a Nuisance. All snow or ice remaining upon public sidewalks is hereby declared to constitute a public nuisance and shall be removed by the owner or tenant of the abutting private property within two (2) days after such snow or ice has ceased to be deposited.

Subd. 2. City to Remove Snow and Ice. The City may cause to be removed from all public sidewalks, beginning three (3) days after snow or ice has ceased to fall, all snow or ice which may be discovered thereon, and it shall keep a record of the cost of such removal and the private property adjacent to which such accumulations were found and removed.

Subd. 3. Cost of Removal to be Assessed. The City Manager shall, upon direction of the Council, and on receipt of the information provided for in the preceding Subdivision, extend the cost of such removal of snow or ice as a special assessment against the lots or parcel of ground abutting on walks which were cleared, and such special assessments shall at the time of certifying taxes to the County Auditor be certified for collection as other special assessments are certified and collected.

Subd. 4. Administrative Fee. Failure of the owner or tenant of the abutting private property to remove snow or ice in the allotted time may result in the issuance of an administrative fee. Regardless of who occupies the property, the owner of the private property is ultimately responsible for snow and ice removal on abutting public sidewalks and is responsible for payment of administrative fees. The administrative fee will be set by Resolution of the City Council. It is a misdemeanor for the owner to fail to pay the administrative fee within thirty (30) days of receiving

written notice of the fee being assessed. The administrative fee and misdemeanor violation for failing to pay the fee are not exclusive remedies for failure to remove snow or ice misdemeanor.

Subd. 5. Continuing Violations. Each day snow or ice remains on a sidewalk past the allotted time is a continuing violation of this Section and shall constitute a separate offense.

SEC. 7.06. CONSTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF ROADWAY SURFACING, SIDEWALK, CURB AND GUTTER.

Subd. 2. Permit Required. It is a misdemeanor to construct or reconstruct a sidewalk, curb and gutter, driveway, or roadway surfacing in any street or other public property in the City without a permit in writing from the City Manager.

SEC. 7.07. OBSTRUCTIONS IN STREETS.

Subd. 5. Placing Snow or Ice in a Roadway or on a Sidewalk.

A. It is unlawful for any person, not acting under a specific contract with the City or without special permission from the City Manager, to remove snow or ice from private property and place the same in any roadway or on a sidewalk within the public right-of-way.

B. Where permission is granted by the City Manager the person to whom such permission is granted shall be initially responsible for payment of all direct or indirect costs of removing the snow or ice from the street or sidewalk. If not paid, collection shall be by civil action or assessment against the benefited property as any other special assessment.

SEC. 7.11. REGULATION OF TREES, GRASS AND WEEDS IN STREETS.

E. Planting Near Curbs and Sidewalks. The distance trees may be planted from curbs or curblines and sidewalks will be in accordance with the three species size classes listed in this Section, and no trees may be planted closer to any curb or sidewalk than the following: small trees, 2 feet; medium trees, 3 feet; and large trees, 4 feet.

SEC. 7.14. SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.

Subd. 1. Primary Responsibility. It is the primary responsibility of the owner of property upon which there is abutting any sidewalk to retain any existing sidewalk and to keep and maintain such sidewalk in safe and serviceable condition.

Subd. 2. Construction, Reconstruction and Repair Specifications. All construction, reconstruction or repair of sidewalks shall be done in strict accordance with specifications on file in the office of the City Manager.

Subd. 5. Failure of Owner to Reconstruct or Make Repairs. If the owner of the abutting property fails to make repairs or accomplish reconstruction as herein required, the City Manager shall report such failure to the Council and the Council may order such work to be done under its direction and the cost thereof assessed to the abutting property owner as any other special assessment.

Subd. 6. Inspection. The Public Works Director shall make such inspections as are necessary to determine that sidewalks are kept in safe and serviceable condition.

SEC. 8.03. BICYCLE REGULATION.

Subd. 1. Definition. The term "bicycle", as used in this Section, means every device propelled solely by human power upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels except scooters and similar devices, and including any device generally recognized as a bicycle though equipped with two front or rear wheels.

Subd. 2. Registration Required. It is unlawful for any person to ride or operate a bicycle not registered upon any street, sidewalk or other public property.

Subd. 3. Traffic Laws Apply. Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway or upon any path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this Chapter, except as to special regulations in this Chapter and except as to those provisions of this Chapter which by their nature can have no application.

Subd. 6. Where to Ride.

A. Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.

B. Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.

C. Whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such paths and shall not use the roadway.

Subd. 7. Right of Way - Sidewalks. Whenever a person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk, such person shall yield the right of way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian. Provided, that it is unlawful for any person to ride a bicycle on any public sidewalk within the downtown area of the City, defined as an area bounded on the south by 5th Street, on the west by Pacific Avenue, on the north by 8th Street, and on the east by Oregon Avenue, and including the area of said designated boundary streets and the sidewalks parallel thereto on both sides of the street, or to park a bicycle upon a sidewalk except where parking stalls have been provided.

SEC. 9.02. GENERAL PARKING PROHIBITIONS. It is unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park a vehicle except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the specific directions of a police officer or traffic control device in any of the following places: (1) on a sidewalk; (2) in front of a public or private driveway; (3) within an intersection; (4) within ten feet of a fire hydrant; (5) on a crosswalk; (6) within twenty feet of a crosswalk at any intersection;