(No parking sign - KIWA Staff Stock Photo)Northwest Iowa — The nice weather forecast may have lulled some of us into a sense that winter is far off, but rest assured, winter and the snow and ice it brings are not far away. That means you might have to make other arrangements for parking your vehicle. Several cities in the KIWA listening area have ordinances regarding overnight parking, especially during the snow removal season, and the amount of the fine varies widely. So if you routinely or occasionally park a car on the street overnight or have overnight guests, you’ll have to come up with a different place to park in most cases.
City-by-City Parking Ordinances
- Sheldon: Motorists are not allowed to park on any street in the city between the hours of 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM from November 1st to April 1st. Violation of Sheldon’s overnight parking ban will be subject to a fine and possibly towing. The actual ordinance is a little more complicated than that; for details, you can contact the city office. The city also asks you to advise your overnight guests of the ordinance, especially during the upcoming holiday season. Sheldon also has certain zones where overnight parking is not allowed year-round. In addition, Sheldon officials ask that people not park on lawns or between the sidewalk and street. You are required to park all vehicles on paved surfaces only in Sheldon, as they tell us that it is not only unsightly to park elsewhere, but it also creates issues for private utility lines.
- Sanborn: No parking is allowed from 2:00 AM to 6:00 AM year-round on Main Street. In addition, from November 1st through March 31st, no parking is allowed on any city street in Sanborn from 2:00 to 6:00 AM. The violation of Sanborn’s overnight parking ban carries a $20 fine. For more information, you can view the City of Sanborn’s Facebook page.
- Primghar: The City of Primghar tells us that their city’s winter parking ordinance goes into effect every year on November 1st. There is to be no parking on city streets between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM.
- Sibley: According to Sibley city officials, their overnight parking ban calls for no parking on any city street between 2:00 and 6:00 AM from November 1st through April 15th. The fine for violating Sibley’s overnight parking ban is $100.
- Orange City: Orange City officials say no parking is allowed on any of their city streets between the hours of 2:00 and 6:00 AM from October 15th through April 1st, but the fine for non-compliance in Orange City is only $10.
- Sioux Center: In Sioux Center, the situation is a bit different: no parking is allowed on any city street between 2:00 and 6:00 AM — ever — year-round. If you are cited for violating the parking ordinance in Sioux Center, it carries a $20 fine.
- Rock Valley: Rock Valley’s winter parking ordinance went into effect November 1st. It states that parking is not allowed for more than 30 minutes between 2:00 and 5:00 AM. The ordinance stays in effect until April 1st, and the fine is $20 per night that the ordinance is violated.
- Hartley: Hartley city officials tell us there is no overnight parking ban in that city. However, their ordinance says that vehicles must be off the streets when snowfall begins and must remain off the streets until the streets are cleared of snow. Failure to do so will result in a $50 fine from the City of Hartley.
- Rock Rapids: Rock Rapids officials say they have a winter residential parking ordinance, but it’s not in effect during normal weather. Their ordinance bans parking on all city streets and alleys from midnight to 6:00 AM during any precipitation activity, including snowing, drifting, or freezing rain. In addition, parking is banned from 2:00 to 6:00 AM in Rock Rapids’ downtown area year-round, and there are signs posted to that effect. The fine for non-compliance in Rock Rapids is $25.
Summary & Recommendations
Motorists should be aware of the ordinance in whatever town they are parking their vehicle. Again, if you’ll be having overnight guests for the holidays or family events—such as weddings, funerals, parties, and so forth—we suggest you be a gracious host and advise them of your city’s ordinance so they don’t end up with a citation and a fine.
