Falcon Heights to advance proposal for city-run alley plowing

At a May 27 City Council workshop, Falcon Heights staff outlined a proposal to have the city assume plowing of 13 residential alleyways, and the Council reached consensus to advance formal policy language to the June 22 regular meeting for action.

City staff introduced the plan as an administrative-manual policy rather than a change to city code. Linehan said the proposal would be drafted into formal policy language and returned for Council action if the Council directed staff to proceed. "If the Council provided direction to proceed, formal policy language would be brought forward for adoption," Linehan said.

Councilmember Mogen raised a mobility and accessibility concern, saying the city’s recent work clearing Larpenteur and bus stops has improved access and warning that adding alley plowing to public works responsibilities should not degrade sidewalk maintenance for pedestrians and wheelchair users. Public Works Director Callahan responded that "streets and alleys would be addressed concurrently, not sequentially," and that sidewalks are handled by a part‑time contractor as a separate assignment.

Support for a city-run approach came from Councilmember May, who described problems with the current private-contractor model: irregular timing and "large snow berms at alley entrances that force residents to 'gun it' over accumulated snow or risk getting stuck." Callahan committed to applying the same standard used on city streets. He estimated the city could expect approximately "one to two additional hours of plowing time per snowfall event," noting that clearing alley entrances—backing up and feathering out snow—adds time compared with running the alley length itself.

Staff and Council also discussed operational details and cost tracking. Callahan explained how route assignments would be adjusted so operators finish at roughly the same time, and clarified that portions of adjacent areas (University Grove and Lauderdale) are handled in coordination with neighboring crews. Councilmember Mielke said tracking hours and fuel costs would be useful; Linehan said precise breakout would be difficult but that staff could produce a general estimate and explore vehicle software to improve tracking in the future.

The Council addressed private property encroachments in alley easements—gardens and landscaping—and agreed on a mixed approach: residents will be expected to mark their property in the easement, public works staff will flag problematic obstructions in the fall, and code-enforcement letters would follow as needed. The Council also agreed staff would provide stakes residents could use to mark easement boundaries and that proactive outreach would accompany any new program.

Next steps: the Council reached consensus to advance the proposed alley-plowing administrative policy to the June 22 regular meeting for formal consideration and possible adoption.