Snow Emergency and Frozen Water Lines

Information Regarding Frozen Water Lines

February 17, 2014
To: Mayor & Councilmembers, City of Oelwein residents

From: Jamie Letzring, City Administrator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INFORMATION REGARDING FROZEN WATER SERVICE LINES

Due to drastically low temperatures this winter many of our residents and water customers are experiencing frozen water service lines. We are describing this as a “severe weather event” but unlike snow, ice or rain, this event is occurring underground. Additionally, it is important to note that not all municipalities assist with the thawing of water lines but we have dedicated city crews that help our residents work through this process. While it is a frustrating situation to be in, like so many Iowa communities this year, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Here are some important reminders for residents:
• Most recent status had frost levels reaching between five and six feet deep.
• Check your water temperature daily. If you are less than 40 degrees, contact City Hall at 319-283-5440 and run a faucet with a pencil-sized stream of water, continuously.
• If your water service is frozen, contact City Hall. At this time, it may be several weeks before water can be restored. In some cases, warmer temperatures will be the only relief.
• You may keep toilets functioning by filling the tank with water for flushing purposes.
• We will evaluate water bills when we know the full impact of the situation. Please contact City Hall if you are without water, or running your water.
• If you are in need of drinking water or a shower, please contact City Hall and register as a resident without running water.
• Drinking water: Police Department, 20 2nd Ave SW. 10:00 – 11:00 am or 6:00 – 7:00 pm. BRING YOUR OWN CONTAINER. An officer will assist you. You must first register by calling City Hall.
• Showering: Williams Wellness Center, 317 8th Ave SE. Hours vary, check City website. BRING YOUR OWN TOWEL AND TOILETRIES. Only one shower per locker room, be aware of time constraints. You must first register by calling City Hall.

City of Oelwein Snow Emergency

The City of Oelwein has declared a snow emergency effective at 6:00 p.m. on February 17, 2014. The snow emergency will remain in effect until 6:00PM, February 18, 2014.  Any vehicles left parked on emergency snow routes will be subject to tow. Also in effect with be alternate side parking for non-snow emergency routes.

1. Restricted Street and Avenue Parking: After declaration of a snow removal emergency by the Mayor of the City of Oelwein and publication of notice of the parking restriction herein, it shall be unlawful for any person to park or leave unattended or unoccupied any vehicle along the curbside of any public street or avenue between the hours of midnight and 9:00 P.M. on the side of such street or avenue on which houses are identified with even numbered addresses on even numbered days of the calendar and on the side of such street or avenue on which houses are identified with odd-numbered addresses on odd-numbered days of the calendar. Said parking restriction shall apply until said restriction is lifted by subsequent declaration of the mayor by radio or newspaper announcement.

2. Restricted Parking in Municipal Parking Lots. After the declaration of a snow removal emergency by the Mayor of the City of Oelwein and publication of notice thereof, it shall be unlawful for any person to park or leave unattended or unoccupied any vehicle in the North Municipal Parking Lot; the municipal parking lot located in the 100 Block of 1st Avenue SW, and, the City Hall Municipal Parking Lot, on even numbered days of the calendar and in the South Municipal Parking Lot; and the municipal parking lots located on the East and West side of the 10 Block of 1st Avenue NE, on odd numbered days of the calendar until said restriction is lifted by subsequent declaration of the Mayor by radio or newspaper announcement.

Curfew Ordinance

SECTION 23-71. DEFINITION.

The term minor, as used in Sections 23-72 through 23-77, inclusive, shall mean any unemancipated person below the age of fourteen (14) years. (Ord. No. 1010, 02-10-2003.)

SECTION 23-72. CURFEW.

It shall be unlawful for any minor to be or remain or to travel, loiter, wander, stroll, or play in or upon any of the alleys, streets, public places, places of business, places of amusement, buildings, vacant lots, or other unsupervised places in the City of Oelwein, Iowa, from 11:00 P.M. until 5:00 A.M. on any day of the week or on any weekend. (Ord. No. 1010, 02-10-2003.)

SECTION 23-73. EXCEPTIONS.

The restrictions provided herein shall not apply to any minor who is accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other person charged with the care and custody of such minor, or other responsible person eighteen (18) years of age or older, nor shall the restriction apply to any minor who is traveling between his/her home or place of residence and any approved place of employment, or where a church, municipal or school function is being held, or unless said minor is upon an emergency errand, or unless such minor has a written consent currently dated, signed by a parent, guardian, or other adult person responsible for, or having legal custody of such minor, stating the reason such minor is in the prohibited place after curfew, and if the place or places is connected with and required by some legitimate business, trade, profession or occupation in which the minor is permitted by law to be engaged or unless the parent, guardian, or other adult person responsible for or having the legal care, custody and control of said minor reports to the Police Department that said minor is in violation of Section 23-72 without permission. Such report shall be made no later than two (2) hours after the responsible adult, as defined in Section 23-74 becomes aware that the minor is in violation of Section 23-72.

SECTION 23-74. RESPONSIBILITY OF ADULTS.

It is unlawful for any parent, guardian or other adult responsible for or having the legal care, custody and control of any minor to allow, permit or suffer such minor to violate the provisions of this ordinance, except as provided in Section 23-73.

SECTION 23-75. RESPONSIBILITY OF BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS.

It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation operating a place of business or amusement to allow, permit or suffer any minor to be in or upon any place of business or amusement operated by them within the curfew hours set forth herein, except as otherwise provided herein. When such owner, operator or person in charge of such place of business or amusement finds such minor or minors on or upon the premises, he/she shall order such person to leave, and if such minor refuses, the owner, operator or other person in charge of the place of business shall notify the Police Department and inform them or the violation.

SECTION 23-76. PENALTIES.

Any minor, parent, guardian, or other adult person responsible for or having the legal care, custody and control of any minor who allows, permits, or suffers such minor to violate any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of a simple misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the first offense and two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for second and subsequent offenses. (Ord. No. 1010, 02-10-2003.)

Any person, firm or corporation operating a place of business or amusement who allows, permits or suffers any minor to be in or upon any place of business or amusement within the curfew hours, except as otherwise herein provided, and fails to order such minor to leave, or fails to notify the Police Department that such minor was ordered to leave that that the minor has failed to leave, shall be guilty of a simple misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100.00).

Bicycle Ordinances

SECTION 22-195. OBSERVANCE OF TRAFFIC RULES.

All persons using or operating bicycles upon any street within the city shall observe all traffic rules as to traffic lights and highway stop signs and shall signal any change of direction or course of travel in the same manner as such signals are required under the law governing the use of motor vehicles upon streets and highway, and shall not turn left in traffic except at regular intersections of streets or alleys and shall not weave in and out of traffic. (Ord. No. 267, Section 9, 6-17-41.)

State law reference – Similar provisions, Section 321.234 (2), Iowa Code.

SECTION 22-196. LIGHTS.

All bicycles used within the city between sunset and sunrise shall display a headlight on the forward part of the bicycle exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least three hundred feet (300’), said headlight to be stationary. There shall be displayed on the rear part of the bicycle a lamp exhibiting a red light visible for a distance of three hundred feet (300’) to the rear, or a red reflector not to be smaller than one and one-half inches (1 1/2") in diameter, visible by reflected light for a distance of three hundred feet (300’) to the rear. (Ord. No. 267, Section 6, 6-17-41.)

SECTION 22-197. SINGLE-FILE RIDING, ON RIGHT, REQUIRED.

Bicycle shall be ridden single file. Bicycle shall at all times be operated as near the right curb as possible. (Ord. NO. 267, Section 7, 6-17-41.)

SECTION 22-199. TOWING; BEING TOWED; FOLLOWING FIRE APPARATUS.

It shall be unlawful for any person riding a bicycle to be towed or to tow any other vehicle upon the streets of the city. It shall also be unlawful for any person riding a bicycle to follow a fire truck or other fire equipment at any time. (Ord. No. 267, Section 10, 6-17-41.)

SECTION 22-200. PASSENGERS.

Passengers shall not be carried upon a bicycle at any time except upon a suitable device construed for the specific purpose, located over the rear wheel. (Ord. No. 267, Section 11, 6-17-41.)

SECTION 22-201. IMPROPER OPERATION.

It shall be unlawful for any person riding a bicycle within the city to ride in an irregular or reckless manner such as zigzagging, stunting, speeding or otherwise riding with disregard for either the operator’s safety or the safety of others. (Ord. No. 267, Section 12, 6-17-41.)

SECTION 22-202. RIDING ON SIDEWALKS.

No person shall ride any bicycle, skateboard, roller skates or roller blades upon any sidewalk in an area zoned C-1 - - Central Business District within the city limits of Oelwein, Iowa. Bicycles, skateboards, roller skates or roller blades may be ridden in a reasonable and prudent manner upon any sidewalk in areas zoned other than C-1 - - Central Business District. All riders of bicycles, skateboard, roller skates and roller blades must yield to pedestrians. (Ord. No. 926, 07/08/1996.)

General Ordinances

SECTION 23-26. OBSTRUCTING BUSINESSES AND SIDEWALKS.

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to congregate, stand, loaf or loiter upon any street, sidewalk, bridge or crossing so as to obstruct the same, hinder or prevent persons passing or attempting or desiring to pass thereon; or to congregate, stand, loaf or loiter in or in front of any hall, lobby, doorway, passage or entrance of any public building, theater, hotel, eating house, lodging house, office building, store, shop, office or factor or other like building so as to obstruct the same, hinder or prevent persons walking along or into or out of the same or attempting or desiring to do so. (See City of Des Moines v. Lavigne, 257 N.W. 2d 485 (Iowa 1977).) (Ord. No. 641, Section 1, 9-24-79; Ord. No. 1010, 02-10-2003.)

SECTION 23-42. URINATION OR DEFECATION IN OR UPON ANY STREET, ALLEY, ETC., PROHIBITED.

It shall be unlawful for any person or urinate or defecate in or upon any street, alley, public place or in any place open to public view, provided that this section shall not apply to restrooms or public facilities designated for such purpose.

Any person who violates any provisions of this section shall be guilty of a simple misdemeanor and upon arrest and conviction thereof shall be punished as provided in Section 1-8 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Oelwein, Iowa, punished as provided in Section 1-10. (Ord. No. 693, Section 1, 9-28-81; Ord. No. 795, 06-22-87.)

SECTION 23-43. WEAPONS – DISCHARGING FIREARMS OR EXPLOSIVES.

It shall be unlawful for any person other than a duly authorized peace officer to unnecessarily discharge any firearm, rifle, gun or pistol, which uses a mechanical spring or compressed air or gas to propel a projectile such as, but not limited to, air C02, BB, or pellet, or to throw any explosive into any street. (Ord. No. 51, Section 13, 6-9-1893; Ord. No. 835, 1-14-1991.)

SECTION 23-49. SAME – ON STREETS; THROWING STONES, SNOWBALLS, ETC; SHOOTING BOWS AND ARROWS, ETC.

It shall be unlawful for any person to play ball or throw stones, snowballs, or shooting BB guns, or other things, in the street, alley, or public parking lot in the city; or to shoot with or use any bow and arrow, or to use any rubber gun, slingshot or other dangerous toy or instrument anywhere within the city; except with prior written consent of the Oelwein City Council. (Ord. No. 51, Section 24, 6-9-1893; Ord. No. 981, 04-24-2000; Ord. No. 1010, 02-10-2

SECTION 23-62. COASTING OR SLEDDING ON STREETS.

It shall be unlawful for any person to coast or sled down any of the streets or sidewalks of the city, except at particular places and during particular times as may be designated by the city council. (Ord. No. 51, Section 8, 6-9-1884.)

SECTION 22-13. CLINGING TO VEHICLES.

No person shall drive a motor vehicle on the streets of this City unless all passengers of the vehicle are inside the vehicle in the place intended for their accommodation, except where said passenger is necessary to secure the contents conveyed in a pickup or truck box when said vehicle is not operated at a speed in excess of fifteen miles per hour.

No person shall ride on the running board, bumper or hood of a motor vehicle or in any other place not customarily used for carrying passengers.

No person riding upon a bicycle, coaster, roller skates/blades, sled or toy vehicle shall attach same or himself or herself to any vehicle upon a roadway. (Ord. No. 51, Section 34, 6-9-93; Ord. No. 909, 1-23-95.)

  1. Snow Parking Ordinances
  2. Snowmobile and All Terrain Vehicles
  3. General Parking Ordinances
  4. Alcohol Ordinances